Hazleton Area Business Citizen March 2014 | Page 10

Hazleton Area Business Citizen

HABC: From the point of view of
a worker, what you’ve just said is
tough. What advice would you give
to a seventeen-year-old or even
a sixteen-year-old who’s in highschool?
Dave DeLessio: Trades.
HABC: Really.
Dave DeLessio: Yes. I foresee within
the next ten years, there is going to be
such a shortage of carpenters and roofers and other trades people. Seriously,
how many thirty-five year old electricians
do you know? How many thirty-five year
old plumbers do you know? Now tell me,
how many fifty-five-year old plumbers do
you know, or fifty year old plumbers do
you know? For kids that really don’t know
what to do, especially ones that have some
mechanical skills and are good with their
hands, trades.
HABC: Are you suggesting that
high school vo-tech or career
center is sufficient, or would
post secondary trade school be
advisable too?
Dave DeLessio: It depends on the job
market. Sometimes it’s difficult with just
a vo-tech education to get out there. I
don’t know if that’s still the case or if you
need trade school. As far as higher education, higher education is something that
can never be taken away.

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HABC

March 1, 2014