Mt. Spokane High School event aims to spark interest in trade careers among students

SPOKANE, Wash. — Students considering a future in the trades are invited to attend Mt. Spokane High School’s first-ever Trades Night on Wednesday.

Over 40 organizations from a variety of trades will participate in the event and showcase all that their technical field has to offer.

The event is a great way for kids to learn more about what could be a lifelong career.

“The entire parking lot is going to be full of heavy machinery, and an opportunity for people to walk around and look at forklifts and dump trucks. We have a flooring company that’s going to be on site where students can build laminate and take it apart. So there will be something for everybody, we hope,” said Josh Cowart, Future Ready Counselor at Mt. Spokane.

Mechanics from Lithia Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Spokane will attend the event and said they hope to give kids a window into what they do everyday.

“We’re actually going to bring our a Ram TRX truck and go ahead and replace the brakes,” said Daniel Robinette, Assistant Manager of Lithia Chrysler.

Robinette said it is increasingly more difficult to find mechanics that want to work in the industry, but that events like Trades Night are a great way to generate interest.

“It’s very difficult work. It’s hard work. So, trying to find that niche of students that are interested in still getting dirty and greasy every day is still difficult,” he said.

The event organizers said many students are underexposed to the trades and the many benefits of those fields.

“I think as an institution, we have done a really good job of promoting school, and we’ve missed out on a lot of opportunities that exist out there. So, hopefully this is an opportunity to right the scales a little bit, and put a bunch of really cool things in front of young people,” said Cowart.

Trades Night is free and open to the public and will take place from 5-7 p.m. on September 25 at Mt. Spokane High School (6015 E Mt Spokane Park Dr., Mead, Wash). For more information, click here.