Okanogan County PUD hosted its first Industry Bootcamp on April 23. This one-day event gave students hands-on experience in careers they’re interested in pursuing. The Industry Bootcamp went beyond a typical ride-along or job shadow, as students actively completed tasks related to their field under the guidance of Okanogan PUD professionals. High school students, mostly juniors and seniors, applied for one of three fields: lineworker, engineer/electrician, and mechanic/welder. As part of the application process, they shared their interest, knowledge, and career goals in their chosen field.
With a tremendous response, 37 students participated in the career technical education (CTE) experience, including at least two students from each school district in Okanogan PUD’s service area, which includes Oroville, Tonasket, Omak, Okanogan, Brewster, Pateros, and Methow Valley, which is partially served by Okanogan PUD and Okanogan County Electric Cooperative.
Ben Richey, a junior at Tonasket High School, is considering becoming a lineworker and said he feels the experience working with lineworkers helped direct his career plans.
“I got to learn a little bit more about the things that they do every day and what it requires to get to that point,” Richey said. “They were all super helpful and patient when teaching all of us. This experience definitely made me want to become a lineman even more. It has got me very excited for the future.”
Each group focused on hands-on learning.
The lineworker group learned to use climbing gear to set a transformer; change a crossarm; complete a pin and glass changeout; and ground, tie, and untie wire.
The engineer/electrician group covered basic circuit theory and wired a programmable logic controller. They were able to create circuits by programming the programmable logic controller using ladder logic. Using the information, students analyzed the program and physically wired in all the outputs and inputs to complete a circuit accordingly.
The mechanic/welder group rotated through three stations: working with a metal inert gas (MIG) welder, working with a tungsten inert gas (TIG) welder, and disassembling a diesel engine. Darrel Diebel, owner of Diebel’s Welding and Machine, donated his time to teach students how to operate a TIG welder, and a representative from Norco Industrial led the MIG welding station.
Heidi Perez, a junior at Brewster High School, is interested in a career as a welder and said the experience was valuable for her.
“It definitely made me more interested,” she said. “I was hoping to learn more about welding, which is a field I’m highly interested in, and not only did I learn more about welding, I learned how to do another type of welding I’ve never tried but enjoyed and also got to learn about mechanics, and how both fields come together. It not only made me more interested in the field of welding but also how being a mechanic can certainly be helpful. I enjoyed it.”
Okanogan PUD General Manager Randy Bird expressed enthusiasm about the strong response from the students and schools that participated.
“This industry is growing and so is the demand for a skilled workforce,” Bird said. “It is great to see CTE-minded students from all over the county come together with a shared interest in learning more about these trades. This was an opportunity for us to invest in our local youth and hopefully encourage them to explore these careers.”
