Hundreds of Humboldt students explore careers at annual Trades Day

Isabella Crawford got a taste of Humboldt’s labor market with a logging-training simulator at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds, where the Arcata High School student said the machine was challenging but fun. Around her, hundreds of students from across Humboldt County explored the kind of work that can keep young people in the county after graduation, from welding and roofing to heavy equipment, engineering and other skilled trades.

The fourth annual Trades Day brought students, schools and youth groups to Eureka for a half-day of hands-on career exploration from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event was organized by the Humboldt Builders Exchange and the Humboldt County Office of Education, and students had to register in advance and arrange transportation. Organizers said the goal was to show high school juniors and seniors career paths that do not require a four-year degree, while connecting them directly with employers they could work for soon after school.

About 43 agencies and businesses took part this year, filling the fairgrounds with hammering, cement mixing, roofing practice, welding demonstrations and virtual-reality trades applications. The lineup reflected nearly every major trade available in the region, a reminder that the county’s housing, roads, shops and homes all depend on workers who can frame a wall, wire a building, fix a truck or run heavy machinery. Jack Sheppard said, “This is our fourth annual trades day,” and added that “there’s such a huge need for the trades.”

Trades Day began in 2023 after Sheppard approached the office of education about creating a centralized event, with support from the Construction Industry Education Foundation. Organizers said the first year drew nearly 40 vendors and more than 200 students. In 2024, participation grew to more than 40 local businesses and close to 300 students. Last year’s event also helped raise more than $9,800 for the Humboldt Builders Exchange scholarship fund, which supports graduates of the Summer Trades Academy through HCOE.

For businesses trying to keep crews staffed and for teens trying to stay local, the message was the same: trades offer a real path into Humboldt work without the debt and delay of a four-year degree. Mia Hooven of Hooven & Co. said her favorite part was “influencing students to consider the trades” and “sparking their interest in the work.” That pitch landed in a county where apprenticeships, certifications and local hiring can turn a school-day curiosity into a paycheck at home.