Research shows that middle school career exploration activities are a great way to boost student engagement. With trade skills careers in high demand, now is the time to explore these high-demand, high-wage, high-skill careers with your students. After all, these jobs require very specific skill sets and the sooner students start learning them, the more prepared they’ll be for future success. That’s why we’ve created this list of five interactive trade skills teaching tools for middle school career exploration.
1. Measurement Math Training Kit
The more comfortable your students are with using fractions and decimals, converting imperial and metric measurements and using tools like calipers, the more prepared they’ll be to enter skilled trades careers. You can introduce students to more than 250 measurements with the manipulatives and lessons in our Measurement Math Training Kit. The kit includes five sets of measurement tools with five measurement manipulatives, a ruler, and a storage case in every set.
The included curriculum takes approximately 5 to 10 hours to complete but can be adapted to a longer block of time with supplemental materials. It features lessons on metric and standard readings, how to read a ruler/tape measure, and how to read and use a caliper. The curriculum comes with presentation slides and student activities.
We recommend four kits for a 20-student class exploring agriculture, veterinary technician, trade skills, or welding careers.
Use these kits to explore careers in animal, plant, and natural resource systems; agribusiness; agriculture, food, and natural resources; veterinary technology, clinical pathology, nutrition, and surgery; zoological and exotic animal technology; carpentry; electrical work; automobile mechanics; and more!
Add soft skills practice with these supplemental scenario cards: Agriculture Career; Horticulture Career; Vet Tech Career; Food Processing, Production and Safety Career; Construction Career; Manufacturing Career; Electrician Career; and Welding Career
2. guideWELD® VR welding simulator
A popular option for middle school and high school career exploration, our guideWELD VR welding simulator allows students to learn basic welding skills in a safe, spark-free environment. They can also practice correct welding techniques and investigate welding career paths, while you save on costly consumables. The guideWELD VR workstation includes an interchangeable GMAW (MIG) and/or SMAW (Stick) welding simulator gun.
The curriculum takes about 20 to 30 hours to complete. Use it to cover topics that are key to welding and manufacturing careers, like different types of welding, welding safety concepts and even how to identify and correct weld defects.
We recommend four simulators for a 20-student class covering trade skills and welding careers.
Use these simulators to explore careers in ironwork, metal fabrication, manufacturing and production welding, welding fabrication, welding engineering, welding quality assurance and inspection, pipe welding, and other welding careers.
Add soft skills practice with these supplemental scenario cards: Construction Career, Manufacturing Career, Electrician Career, and Welding Career
3. Common Welding Joints Kit
Use the curriculum and models in our Common Welding Joints Kit to teach students how to recognize the most popular welding joints — a fun, hands-on way to help them understand how important welding is to the world around us! Each 10-piece kit includes both SMAW and GMAW weld examples made of lightweight plastic. The included flashcards and curriculum address joint types, proper welding techniques, and how to prevent welding issues.
The included curriculum takes approximately one to two hours to complete. It features lessons on common welding positioning and identifying common welding joints. Each unit includes teacher guides with detailed information for classroom learning as well as slide presentations, worksheets, quizzes, and assessments.
We recommend one kit for a 20-student class exploring trade skills and welding careers.
Use this kit to explore careers in ironwork, metal fabrication, manufacturing and production welding, welding fabrication, welding engineering, welding quality assurance and inspection, pipe welding, and other welding careers.
Add soft skills practice with these supplemental scenario cards: Construction Career, Manufacturing Career, Electrician Career, and Welding Career
4. RealCareer™ Electrical Wiring Kit
The Electrical Wiring Kit gives students an introduction to electrician careers with a safe, hands-on lesson in wiring common electrical circuits. The portable, battery-operated kit provides instant assessment and corrective feedback. It contains a wall panel demonstrator, electrical wiring components, electrical wiring assessment kit, student exercise workbook, and curriculum.
The included curriculum takes approximately 13 hours to complete and features lessons on electrical safety, electrical principles, and basic wiring skills. There are 16 different exercises within the curriculum that are meant to give students a general understanding of electrical wiring common in households and commercial environments.
We recommend five kits for a 20-student class teaching trade skills careers.
Use this kit to explore careers in electrical and HVAC work.
Add soft skills practice with these supplemental scenario cards: Electrician Career, Construction Career, and Manufacturing Career.
5. RC Tractor Pull Challenge (5-pack) with Pulling Sled
Use this interactive RC Tractor Pull Challenge kit to explore tractor systems and structures while experimenting with force and motion, friction and gravity, and other STEM concepts. As students construct each of the five tractors, they can test variables for different pulling outcomes. The kit includes five tractors and RC remotes, rechargeable batteries, weights, and more!
The included curriculum takes approximately five to seven hours to complete. It features lessons on understanding force and motion, the work of friction and gravity, gear rations and traction with tires, acceleration and sled pulling, and tractor pulling and distance pulling. The curriculum includes lesson plans, student activities, and presentation slides.
We recommend two kits for a 20-student class teaching agriculture and trade skills careers.
Use this kit to explore careers in agribusiness and automobile mechanics.
Add soft skills practice with these supplemental scenario cards: Manufacturing Career and Agriculture Career
Learn More
If you’re looking for information on middle school career exploration opportunities, we suggest:
- Our free career exploration curriculum, which introduces students to in-demand careers within agriculture
- Our downloadable infographics, which cover topics such as job outlooks and the soft skills today’s employers are looking for
- Our blogs on middle school career exploration in agriculture, Family and Consumer Science, and health science
