MINNEAPOLIS — The high cost of college tuition is putting more focus on jobs in the trades, but there's still a nationwide shortage of skilled trades workers, and more than 3 million jobs are estimated to remain open by 2028, according to Trades Nation.
That's why experts are trying to get young people interested in hands-on work while they're young. One such effort is the Tools For The Trades™ Rat Rod Go Kart Build-Off happening between Minneapolis Public Schools and Lakeville North High School.
Minneapolis students are building their go-kart at Roosevelt High School and on Wednesday they started the engine for the first time.
"We're basically tasked with fabricating a rat rod go-kart from scratch," Roosevelt senior Luis Torres said. "Driving on the roads, finding things. Old rusty wheelbarrows, a lot of salvaged pipe from old things."
Behind the build-off is national retailer Northern Tool + Equipment, which started 40 years ago in an Eagan garage. The company launched Tools for the Trades to help address today's labor shortage by donating professional tools and equipment like engines to schools and connecting students with industry experts like Billy Lane of Chopper's Inc.
"I have a mechanical engineering degree," Lane said. "I have a college degree but I chose to be a trades worker myself and I love it, and I'm hoping that I can inspire them to see that, hey, you can go as far as you want to go doing this. You don't have to follow anybody else's predetermined path."
Torres grew up working on cars and bikes with his family and plans to attend technical college for a welding fabrication program after graduation.
"[Lane] welds pipe similar to what I'm doing right now, and he taught me a completely opposite way to do it than what I've been doing and it's been helping me a lot," Torres said. "This program with Northern Tool helps me prepare for my future."
The Minneapolis students are also building a car to tow their go-kart to the 50th annual MSRA Back to the 50's Weekend June 21-23 on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
Then in October, go-karts from both schools head to Daytona Beach, Florida, where Lane and NASCAR legend Richard Petty will race them alongside vintage motorcycles. Lane founded the Sons of Speed event.
"I'm really impressed with the work they've done so far," Lane said of the students. "This is a lot of work."
Thursday, more big names will meet with the Lakeville students, including Thad Moffitt, who is Petty's grandson, and Greg Steadman, COO of Petty’s Garage. When the celebrities aren't in town, they video chat with students throughout the school year.
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