Idaho Students Explore Trades at KTEC’s Hard Hats, Hammers, Healthcare and Hot Dogs Event
550 North Idaho High Schoolers Connect With Industry at Rathdrum Trades Event
RATHDRUM, Idaho — About 550 high school students from 14 regional schools gathered Thursday at the Kootenai Technical Education Center for the annual Hard Hats, Hammers, Healthcare and Hot Dogs event, cycling through hands-on demonstrations with industry professionals to explore trades ranging from logging and welding to electrical work and heavy equipment operation.
The event, held at KTEC in Rathdrum, brought together a partnership between KTEC, North Idaho College Parker Technical Education Center, area high schools, and private industry partners. The goal was straightforward: connect young North Idaho students with tradespeople and equipment they would not ordinarily encounter inside a traditional classroom.
For Lakeland High School student Tiegan Black Eagle-Seres, the event was a return visit. Now in his second year attending the H4 event, Black Eagle-Seres climbed behind the controls of a logging processor under the supervision of Brad Gordon, owner of Lake City Logging. Using the right-hand stick to raise lumber, the left-hand stick to swing the bucket, and a preset command to cut through wood, he moved through the operation with what observers described as quiet confidence.
“It was fun, I like the trades,” Black Eagle-Seres said, adding that he hopes to pursue a career working with his hands and machinery.
Gordon said he was struck by the students’ conduct throughout the day. “All of them said thank you and were really appreciative. Maybe they find some interest in logging and when they get out of school, they’ll look us up,” Gordon said.
Welding, Electrical Demos Draw Enthusiasm — and a Few Nerves
Inside the welding area, sparks flew behind safety curtains as KTEC students Brooklyn Anderson, Taylor Nash, and Isaac Deuel walked visiting students through welding fundamentals. The most common question of the day, Deuel said, was simply: “How do I do this?”
Some students arrived with anxiety about the process. “Some kids think that they’re going to catch on fire,” Deuel said. Anderson kept safety front of mind throughout the demonstrations: “If you touch the metal with the gun, put that hood down,” she instructed participants.
Despite initial nerves, many students surprised themselves. “Even if you’re not good at welding, you can still have a really good time,” Deuel said. “There were some straight lines, good cuts. I’m impressed with some of these kids who it’s their first time doing this.”
Gemma Loose, a ninth-grader at Lake City High School, said welding was the highlight of her day after also trying out heavy machinery. “I’ve tried driving the machines and I’ve tried welding just now,” Loose said. “It was just cool to try because I’ve never done anything like it before.”
Elsewhere on the KTEC grounds, Robert Smith, a journeyman lineman with Kootenai Electric Cooperative, demonstrated a backfeed electrical scenario for students — illustrating the real-world safety stakes of working in electrical trades.
Trevor Miller, representing Silver Valley Upward Bound through the University of Idaho, noted the strong turnout from Kellogg and Wallace students near the semi-truck driving station. He emphasized that the hands-on experience carries weight that classroom instruction simply cannot replicate. “The real-life stuff really matters,” Miller said. “The excitement the students have afterwards just seeing all of the hardware and all of the resources available at a college or a trade school, it’s pretty awesome.”
Events like Hard Hats, Hammers, Healthcare and Hot Dogs reflect a broader push across North Idaho and the state to channel young people toward skilled trades — fields that offer strong wages and long-term employment stability without requiring a four-year university degree. As Idaho continues to address workforce shortages in construction, healthcare, energy, and natural resources, programs that introduce students to trades early carry increasing economic value. Supporters of legislation helping local counties navigate insurance and safety obligations have pointed to workforce development as a connected priority, and state leaders have taken steps to protect funding for technical training pipelines. Earlier this year, Idaho Gov. Brad Little vetoed a bill that would have cut graduate medical education funding, signaling continued state interest in maintaining training infrastructure across skilled professions.
What Comes Next
Thursday’s event marked another year of growing participation at KTEC’s H4 showcase. Industry partners, school districts, and technical education programs are expected to continue building on the event’s reach in coming years. Students who participated Thursday were encouraged to follow up directly with industry professionals — including Gordon’s Lake City Logging — as they approach graduation and consider their career paths in the trades.