Last spring, high school students from Mason and Kings traded desks for drills and textbooks for tool belts. They got hands-on lessons in framing, wiring, plumbing, painting and roofing—building two full-scale sheds from the ground up. Over 10 immersive weeks, they didn’t just acquire new skills; they discovered possibilities for their futures.
The Skilled Trades Workshop, a new initiative launched at Mason High School and open to both Mason and Kings students, is designed to do more than teach; it’s meant to create a spark. “This is about giving students the chance to try something new,” says Mason High School Experiential Learning Program Coordinator Joe Schroeder. “You don’t know if you’d love being a carpenter if you’ve never picked up a hammer.”
With the support of local partners, including M/I Homes of Cincinnati, Creative Contracting of Mason, MADE CDC and the Conduit Apprenticeship Program (CAP), students spent 2.5 hours each week in a working lab at the MADE HUB for Manufacturing in Mason. They learned practical trade skills from real professionals, including blueprint reading, job site safety, siding, roofing, door installation and electrical wiring.
Guided by tradespeople and contractors, the students collaborated in teams to build two 12x9 sheds, gaining not only hands-on experience but also confidence, career direction and a strong sense of purpose. The sheds were raffled off to support future workshops.
“The trades professionals enjoyed being part of the program,” Joe shares. “Many said it was rewarding to give back and help the next generation explore their field. And the students? Their feedback was overwhelmingly positive.”
Rising senior Alexander Giesman recently told Channel 9 WCPO, “This starting knowledge is just the push I need to dive in deeper. I’m pretty impressed with what every single one of us has accomplished.”
Thanks to the program, two students are now pursuing electrical apprenticeships, another is exploring a career in plumbing, and a few have taken on part-time jobs in general contracting.
“The first full semester went fantastically,” says Joe. “Even students who don’t end up in the trades walk away with real skills they’ll use forever and maybe a new appreciation for the people who build our homes, repair our pipes and wire our cities.”
Programs like this one fall under Mason High School’s larger Experiential Learning Program (XLP), which helps students connect what they’re learning in school to real-world opportunities. “Whether it’s a job shadow with a coroner, a hospital internship or this skilled trades workshop, we want students to experience careers before they make big decisions about college or work,” Joe explains.
Kings High School Internship Instructor Carrie Snyder has also witnessed that transformation. “The impact on students has been overwhelmingly positive,” she says. “For students who know this is their path, it allows them to hone their skills. Those who want to learn more have the opportunity to experience whether this career path is right for them. Our students are walking onto job sites ready to contribute on day one.”
For students who thrive outside of traditional academics, programs like the Skilled Trades Workshop are game changers. “CAP is changing lives by opening doors to high-paying, purpose-filled careers, especially for students who might not fit the traditional classroom mold,” emphasizes Jerry Beerman, co-founder of the Conduit Apprenticeship Program, which provides the curriculum for the course.
That mission of opening doors was also what motivated Rick Boyle, a founding member of CAP, co-founder of the workshop and owner of Creative Contracting. “In a relatively short time frame, I’ve seen a significant shift in the mindset of students, teachers and administrators,” he says. “I believe there’s no one-size-fits-all recipe for success. Each student’s definition of career happiness will vary, and so will their path to achieve it.”
The program began as a pilot in Spring 2025 with 20 students completing all elements. The next cohort, expected to grow to 32 students, kicks off in Spring 2026. Thanks to continued sponsorship from M/I Homes and strong partnerships, the upcoming session will also include welding instruction.
Kings High School has also played a meaningful role in the project. “We’ve partnered with Kings for years on company tours and internships,” explains Joe. “When we launched this, we invited them to fill a few student slots. It’s a natural way to expand impact and create something that benefits the whole community.”
Carrie, who placed two Kings students in the workshop through her internship class, says their experience was energizing. “During class, the boys frequently talked about how much they were learning and how much fun they were having. One student even worked on job sites with Creative Contracting and applied those skills immediately.”
The community stands to benefit in big ways. “These kinds of experiences connect students to local businesses, help bridge the talent gap and open their eyes to the value of building a future right here in Mason or Deerfield,” Joe adds.
The buzz from the inaugural workshop is still echoing through the hallways at Mason and Kings. Students are already asking about next year’s session, which will be posted on the school’s XLP digital opportunity board this fall.
“This is what school should be,” Joe explains. “Great classroom instruction, paired with hands-on experiences that help kids find what excites them, what challenges them and what they might want to do next. Whether it’s in healthcare, engineering or the trades, we want them to try things, meet people and do the work. That’s how they grow.”
For more information, visit MasonOhioSchools.com, Conduit-Apprentice.com and MADECDC.org/made-hub-mfg.