Frequently Asked Questions
HOW DO I GET STARTED IN MY COMMUNITY?
Contact your local high school and business leaders and encourage them to create such a partnership for moving young talent into the trades. You might be surprised to find there’s already some momentum in your favor, as local business owners may have already been in contact with your school in search of new recruits to fill job openings. We host biweekly informational sessions on Zoom for schools and businesses who are interested in learning more. Sign up for a session here.
WHAT IS THE SCHOOL’S ROLE?
The school’s role is to administer the program like any other class, while acting as coordinator and liason for the students and the local businesses. These educators must coach students and inspire quality relationships to form between the students and their employee mentors.
WHAT IS THE COST TO PROVIDE THE COURSE?
Currently, there is no cost to businesses or to schools to participate in this program. The greatest cost that does exist is the time required by a Facilitator, typically provided by one of the businesses or the Craftsman with Character Foundation. Beyond that, there's a nominal charge for printed materials, typically borne by the businesses, which are sold at cost by the foundation and include a leader's guide and student binders.
HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM A YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP?
The Craftsman with Character course is actually a pre-apprenticeship program, giving students and business owners the chance to get to know one another before making an apprenticeship commitment.
I'm a business owner. How can I afford to have employees spending time with students? Won’t it hurt productivity and profits?
The Craftsman with Character course is an investment in our shared future, creating an employment pipeline between the schools and businesses (like yours). It will help you to attract and develop quality individuals for your workforce. The experience at Edgerton Gear (where the program began) has been nothing short of surprising. Instead of a drop in productivity and profits as presumed, the shop actually realized a rise in these two metrics. It turns out that the act of mentoring young people has the tendency to bring out better character traits in those doing the mentoring. Not only is the business performing better, but a third of its staff is now under the age of thirty: a quick reversal from the former trend.
Do participating employers need special insurance to participate?
Craftsman with Character is a school-sanctioned experience and should be treated like any other school activity that occurs off school property, like a field trip or sporting event. The school’s insurance policy should cover the students, though confirmation of these details with your school is encouraged.
I have more questions. Who do I contact?
Sign up for an upcoming info session, held every other Thursday, by clicking here. Also, you are welcome to schedule a tour of the Edgerton Gear facility in Edgerton, WI, where you can meet actual mentors and former students (now hired), as well as meet area educators key to the program.
What is the most common barrier to starting?
Resources. Teachers and school staff may be stretched too thin already, unable to budget the time necessary for coordinating the class. The Craftsman with Character Foundation has staff available to help you through the process and make it as efficient as possible.