Forget Lanyards. These Summer Camps Teach Kids to Drive Forklifts
A camper in protective gear welds a metal SparkForce sign at a Salem City Schools Welding Camp in Salem, Virginia, in July.
Source: SparkForce, The FMA Foundation
Like a lot of teens in the Midwest, Bryce Delveaux spent the summer before his junior year of high school at a camp in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. But instead of swimming, kayaking and participating in other classic summer activities, Delveaux learned to solder pipes and pour concrete during a six-week program organized by a local construction trades council.
“Ever since I can remember, I’ve wanted to be outdoors, work with my hands, and I couldn’t see myself sitting in an office all day,” Delveaux said. “What I took away is that this is skilled and it takes time to learn. But once you learn, there’s good money in it.”