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Ankeny Schools Hosts First Annual Skilled Trades Camp

The Ankeny Community School District, in partnership with the Homebuilders Association of Greater Des Moines and Iowa Skilled Trades, recently held its first annual Skilled Trades Camp.

A total of 24 ninth-twelfth grade Ankeny students attended the free camp, which featured business and industry tours, site visits to apprenticeship training facilities, demonstrations, hands-on activities, and conversations with industry experts.

The camp kicked off on Monday, July 11, at the Orbis program classroom with ice-breaking activities. Participants were encouraged to have fun and stay curious throughout the week and fully engage in the offered activities. The students then participated in a roundtable discussion with skilled trade professionals from within the school district and the Ankeny community. Following the round table discussions, students then toured the district to see the construction updates on ACSD  projects, led by Tim Simpkins, Director of Operations and Construction for ACSD.

Additional activities during the week included: a tour at Dean Snyder Construction, a tour with demonstrations and activities at Carpenters Local #106 Apprenticeship, bricklaying and masonry activities with BAC Local 3 and Rhino Materials, a tour at Turner Construction, activities at the Des Moines Electrical JATC, a tour at Kline Electric, demos and activities at Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 33, and a tour of Baker Group.

The end of the week concluded with a tour of the Des Moines Home Show, where students had the opportunity to view nine newly constructed homes and met with architects from DLR Group and representatives from Kinzler Construction and Kimberley Development to learn more about home design and construction.

Amy Steenhoek, the post-secondary success specialist for ACSD, organized the inaugural event with Brandon Patterson from Iowa Skilled Trades. “This type of event is so important for students to see firsthand the types of careers and trades that are available to them. It also allows for relationships to form and for the businesses to have a pipeline into attaining our talented students upon graduation”, said Steenhoek. “We are extremely pleased with the results of this first event and look forward to making this an annual event that can grow over time, as there was an enormous interest in the program. Thanks so much to the Des Moines Homebuilders Association and Iowa Skilled Trades for their support and to the many businesses that hosted our students.”