South High School junior Joe Sharpe is one of nearly thirty Sheboygan Area School District students gaining real-world experiences through a Youth Apprenticeship this school year. Youth Apprenticeship is a one-year or two-year “earn while you learn” program for high school juniors and seniors that consists of work and related classroom instruction in a chosen occupation. Students can choose from various industries, including Manufacturing, Construction, Healthcare, and more.

Learn more about Joe and his opportunity to excel at South High School:

Student Name: Joe Sharpe
High School: South High School
Grade: 11

What Tech Ed classes are you currently taking, or have you taken in your high school career?
Metals FabLab, Advanced Metals FabLab, Power Mechanics, Construction Trades, and Materials Processing

My favorite thing about my RRM experience is the ability to go to school and weld, rebuild engines, and work on a variety of different projects. The Manufacturing program gives students the opportunity to prepare for life after high school, learning valuable skills that are applicable to many different careers.

 
Welding booth in the Kohler | Johnsonville Advanced Manufacturing Center at South High School

What project are you most proud of?
I am very proud of how far I have come with TIG welding, completing multiple projects, such as a toolbox, a dolly, and a few others.

Have you taken advantage of any on-site work experience opportunities?
I am currently in a full-year Youth Apprenticeship at Lakeside Foods in Belgium.

Tell us about your experience:
The Youth Apprenticeship program has allowed me to work in a field I would not have ever thought to work in. As an apprentice at Lakeside Foods, I have learned more in the past year than I believe I would have learned in school alone. I work alongside two journeymen electricians, doing electrical work and a large amount of mechanical work.

What are your future plans?
I plan on staying at Lakeside Foods as a youth apprentice until the end of high school, then continuing on to a full apprenticeship at Lakeside after I graduate.

The Sheboygan Area School District has seen increasing numbers of students taking advantage of Youth Apprenticeships, where they can earn high school credit and spend part of their school day working and earning money while gaining employment skills for the future!

   

Thank you to Lakeside Foods and our many local employers and RRM partners, such as Kohler Co., Johnsonville, American Orthodontics, Masters Gallery Food, Plastics Engineering, Sargento, and many more, who provide these learning and earning opportunities for our high school students.