Ask a room full of high school students what they plan to do after graduation, and many will answer with a college major or university name. But across Carver County, local businesses and educators are working together to remind students that there isn’t just one path to a successful career.
Waconia Comfort is one of the local businesses helping open those doors. Through career fairs, classroom visits, Manufacturing Week activities, internship signing days, and hands-on demonstrations, the company is introducing students to careers they may never have considered—and showing them that fulfilling, in-demand opportunities exist right here in their own community.
“It's about making sure kids know what’s possible,” says General Manager Tim Willems. "There are so many rewarding careers available, but students can't pursue opportunities they don't know exist."
The effort is driven by local schools and supported by a growing network of manufacturers and businesses throughout the community. Representatives meet throughout the school year to coordinate career fairs, Manufacturing Week activities, internship signing days, and other opportunities that connect students with local employers. Waconia Comfort regularly participates in both the Waconia and Norwood Young America school districts, where students have the chance to explore careers ranging from manufacturing and welding to plumbing, HVAC, automotive repair, cabinetry, and more.
Those experiences go far beyond handing out brochures.
During Manufacturing Week, students have toured local businesses, visited production facilities, explored skilled manufacturing environments, and asked professionals candid questions about what their jobs actually look like. At career fairs, Waconia Comfort has embraced technology to make those conversations even more engaging, bringing virtual reality headsets that simulate real HVAC service calls.
"The VR experience gives students something tangible," Tim says. "Instead of simply telling them what we do, they can experience a small piece of it and start asking questions."
And those questions are exactly the point.
For many students, careers in the skilled trades come with a few common stereotypes. Plumbing is about unclogging toilets. HVAC is about replacing furnaces. In reality, those jobs involve problem-solving, technology, and a wide range of specialized skills.
In reality, Tim says, technical skills can be taught.
"What we're really looking for is curiosity and work ethic," he explains. "Are you willing to ask questions? Are you willing to learn? Those are the qualities that matter."
For many students, simply seeing someone from their own community in these careers makes a difference. As a parent, coach, and active community member, Tim often encounters students who know him from around town but have little idea what he does professionally. Those conversations frequently open the door to a new perspective on careers they may never have considered.
The industry itself offers far more variety than many students realize. While technicians and plumbers are at the heart of the work, companies like Waconia Comfort also rely on professionals in design, marketing, customer service, purchasing, warehousing, and inventory management. There are opportunities for people who enjoy solving technical problems, working with customers, organizing operations, or keeping a business running behind the scenes. As the industry continues to grow, organizations are also working to introduce more women to careers in the trades and create a workforce that better reflects the communities they serve.
For students who express interest, Waconia Comfort encourages the next step: reaching out directly.
Rather than having a parent make the first phone call, Tim hopes students take the initiative themselves. That first conversation often leads to a ride-along or job shadow, giving students a firsthand look at what a day in the life of a skilled trades professional is really like. Sometimes the questions are simple. What does this tool do? How often do you climb on a roof? What's a typical day like? But those practical conversations help replace assumptions with understanding.
Many of those students eventually become employees.
Just as importantly, they become members of the local workforce.
"When young people discover careers right here in their own community, they're more likely to stay, build their lives here, and contribute back to the place they grew up," Tim says.
The skilled trades also offer something many students are searching for: meaningful work with visible results. Every day presents a different challenge. A technician may diagnose an air conditioning system on one call, solve a plumbing issue on the next, and leave each customer with the satisfaction of knowing a problem has been fixed.
"You get to solve problems," Tim says. "You help people, you meet all kinds of different customers, and every day is different."
Looking ahead, Waconia Comfort hopes to continue expanding opportunities for students to experience the trades firsthand. While career fairs remain valuable, Tim believes some of the most impactful conversations happen in smaller settings… inside a shop classroom, during a field trip, or while students are gathered around a virtual reality headset asking questions they might not ask anywhere else.
For a generation still discovering its future, those conversations matter.
Whether a student chooses a university, a technical college, an apprenticeship, or another path entirely, the goal isn't to steer them toward one destination. It's to make sure they understand all of the possibilities available to them, and to remind them that a successful career can begin much closer to home than they ever imagined.