Episode Summary

Host Sarah O'Donnell sits down with SPASH Assistant Principal and CTE Coordinator Brent Gostomski, along with two senior students, John and Wyatt, to talk about the Youth Apprenticeship (YA) program. The conversation covers how students find apprenticeships, what they learn on the job, how employers benefit, and how the program has shaped each student's plans for life after high school.

Guests

• Brent Gostomski - Assistant Principal at SPASH, CTE Coordinator for the district, oversees the Youth Apprenticeship program

• John - SPASH senior, second-year youth apprentice at AECOM (engineering/drafting)

• Wyatt - SPASH senior, second-year youth apprentice at Ellis Construction

Key Topics

• What is CTE and the Youth Apprenticeship program at SPASH

• How students discover and apply for apprenticeships (posters, Career Center, classroom connections)

• 60 students participated last year; students earn one credit and a wage for completing 450 hours

• What a typical day looks like in each apprenticeship (engineering drafting at AECOM, general construction labor at Ellis Construction)

• How employers benefit - training a future workforce, with some former apprentices still on the job 20+ years later

• The soft skills students gain: communication, problem-solving, adaptability, time management, confidence

• How the experience changed John's path (shifting from civil to mechanical engineering) and Wyatt's path (from structural welding toward pipeline welding)

• Balancing school, sports, and work - how SPASH's scheduling supports student apprentices

Standout Quotes

• "I've made so many mistakes, and each time I learned how to prevent those mistakes in the future... it's all one big valuable learning lesson." - John

• "It wasn't so much a scary experience, but a confidence-building experience that in the future this is something I can do." - John

• "Worth it." - John and Wyatt, on describing apprenticeship in one word

Contact / Get Involved

• Students interested in the Youth Apprenticeship program can visit the SPASH Career Center

• Community businesses interested in participating can reach out to the SPASH Career Center, 715-345-5400 or SPASHCareerCenter@pointschools.net, to learn more

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Resources mentioned:

Academic Calendar

Point of View is a podcast from the Stevens Point Area Public School District featuring conversations with students, staff and community members about the people, ideas and experiences shaping our schools.

View a transcript of this episode.