Entering high school, Enrique “Ricky” Miranda was unsure about what he wanted to do after graduation. His two older brothers enjoyed the Skilled Trades Pre-Apprenticeship 1 & 2 course of study offered at Southern School of Energy and Sustainability, so he figured he’d try it, too. This is how Miranda, now a senior, found a passion for heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

“It’s [HVAC] a necessity and we’re set up with skills that are valuable and needed,” Miranda said.

As Durham grows, so does the demand for skilled tradespeople – electricians, plumbers, HVAC specialists and others – yet fewer young people are entering these fields. To bridge this gap, career and technical education (CTE) programs, community college pipelines and employer partnerships are offering students hands-on training, certifications and more.

“The average U.S. skilled trades salary is $51,119 per year or $26 per hour – around 1.8 times more than the U.S. median wage. Entry level positions start at $36,000 while most experienced workers make up to $72,000,” according to the Durham Public Schools website.

Durham’s CTE programs range from engineering to healthcare, automotive and skilled trades.

“Our Skilled Trades Pre-Apprenticeship program helps students explore various trades like HVAC, plumbing, drywall application, and more,” said Darian Harris, the CTE director for Durham Public Schools. “We’re setting up the next generation of tradespeople. This exploration lets students get hands-on experience and decide where they want to specialize after high school.”

Through the Skilled Trades program students are able to practice different aspects of various trade industries. “The class is wide, not deep,” said Christian Coltharp-Parr, the skilled trades teacher at Southern.

In this course students are able to earn their OSHA 10, OSHA 30 and forklift certifications, and they can take courses at Durham Technical Community College through the College Career Promise (CCP) program. This program allows high school students in North Carolina to take college classes for free.

Miranda has been able to take HVAC classes and get a head start on his future career. “The free way is the best, which is why I jumped on the opportunity,” Miranda said.

Through the Rising Star Initiative, local business partner with schools to provide work experience for students. Miranda earned $1,800 last summer building an office.

At Southern High School, students in the carpentry program learn the basic skills of this trade and can earn carpentry certifications. In the school’s popular computer science courses, students learn the binary system, coding basics and more about the internet and how it stores data. In the school’s engineering classes, students can build robots or other projects, as well as learn about drones, careers paths for those who can operate drones and earn the proper certifications for flying drones. Last year, Southern had the most certifications of any school in the county, according to Sylida Carter, CTE coach at Southern.

In addition to offering hands-on skills experience, CTE classes prepare students to be professionals.

“These programs equip students not just with technical skills, but with crucial employability skills like communication, professionalism and teamwork—skills that can transfer across various fields,” Harris said.

Outside of CTE programs in high schools, nonprofits in Durham are also working to help expose students to different careers and provide them with hands-on experience.

Matt Sears, partnership director for the Durham Public Schools Foundation, said it’s integral for local businesses to get involved with education. The foundation’s goal is to create mutually beneficial partnerships between Durham’s public schools and local businesses.

“We want students to be ready for any opportunity after high school,” Sears said.

Casey Steinbacher, chief executive of Made in Durham, also underscored the importance of connecting students with career options outside of the traditional college path. The organization works to align education systems and local employers to create pathways for young adults, particularly those from marginalized communities, to access meaningful career opportunities.

After graduation Miranda wants to continue taking classes at Durham Tech where he can learn accounting and management skills. He also intends to pursue an HVAC apprenticeship.

“We need more young people in the HVAC industry,” Miranda said.

CTE’s long-term goal in Durham is to continue to expose students to various careers and give them hands-on experience. They are looking to provide every student with the ability to do an internship or apprenticeship with local businesses before they graduate high school. At Southern, they are also looking to create classes on clean energy.

“We’re working to change the perception that these fields are a last resort for students. It’s more about exploring different career paths and finding the right fit, not locking students into a particular path too early,” Harris said.