In January of 2025, we engaged skilled trades teachers from The Toolkit readership in a survey to better understand recent developments in their programs. The survey asked for input on their programs’ enrollment numbers and funding amounts, along with what they teach and where. We received more than 700 responses, which reflected a few trends … Continued
Teachers at Garrett High School in Garrett, Indiana have put a new spin on the traditional job fair. Instead of inviting businesses to set up tables and present their companies as a place to work, the school stationed students at the tables and gave them the responsibility of presenting their skills and enthusiasm to potential … Continued
Students from 20 high school skilled trades programs will lead a variety of community impact projects designed to address a local need or problem. Their teachers, all winners of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, will guide them through the projects with the goal of challenging and empowering students to make … Continued
In his tenure as a teacher, 2023 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence winner Dave Barresi has successfully set up 17 skilled trades programs. We asked him to draw from over thirty years of experience to share the three most important steps in establishing a program that focuses on student success: Facility … Continued
Jeremy Tarbet, a winner of the 2023 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, has discovered over time that fostering students’ creativity can boost their knowledge in the shop. When it comes to students not feeling engaged in problem-solving projects, Tarbet knows it takes engaging solutions. Below is Tarbet’s description of one of … Continued
Dr. Mittie Cannon has made advocating for diversity in the construction industry her mission for the last decade. She established Power UP Inc., which is focused on showing young women all the lucrative and empowering opportunities that are available to them in the world of construction. She reflects on how far her work has come, … Continued
A new school year is underway! After keeping in touch over the summer, past winners of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence were eager to share their best tips for easing back into the academic calendar: “Pace yourself. We start the year with lots of energy and new ideas. If you … Continued
Summer is here, giving teachers across the nation the opportunity to reflect on the past academic year and look forward to the next. When asked how they spend their summer refreshing, past winners of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence were happy to share: Summer Project: “I try to identify a … Continued
No one knows the true difference an excellent teacher can make better than their students. In honor of National Welding Month, we reached out to a few welding graduates of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence winners to see where the skills their teachers imparted have taken them in their careers, and … Continued
Andrice Tucker, a winner of the 2022 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, has found a new way to put his skilled trades students’ knowledge to the test. In his C9 Engine Bootcamp, high school automotive students at Central Nine Career Center mentor eighth graders from their local middle school through an … Continued