Madison County ag mechanics instructor Josh Daniel wants his students to understand that hands-on skills can get them places in life.

“Working with your hands doesn’t make you any less smart than someone with a four-year degree,” he said. “It’s just a different skill set. We need to stop thinking of blue-collar work as less than white-collar work.”

Daniel’s enthusiasm is clear when he talks about opportunities in the trades.

“The demand for these skills is only going up as our current electricians, farmers, and mechanics start to retire,” he said. “A big passion of mine is making sure students are equipped to go make a career without having a lot of student loan debt. And so this is a pathway that many students don’t realize. They can go make six figures within five years without having to spend a lot of money to make a lot of money.”

The ag mechanics program at the Broad River College and Career Academy in Danielsville offers four courses: ag mechanics, power and machinery, metal fabrication, and electrical wiring and controls. Students can also learn land surveying, plumbing, and concrete work.

“We’re exposing students to the mechanics and trades industries,” said Daniel. “They’re developing skills that can lead straight to careers, whether that’s as a laborer, at a trade school like Athens Tech, or in a union where they earn while they learn.”

Daniel wants his students to recognize the power of what they’re learning and feel pride in their work. HireSmart Cares, a Madison County-based nonprofit focused on workforce development, shares those goals and provided a $1,800 grant for students in the BRCCA ag mechanics program to have a T-shirt.

“It (the shirt) is very similar to what you’d find in a mechanic shop or an auto body shop,” said Daniel. “We’re going to have all the students wear them one day a week with a pair of jeans. It creates uniformity and pride in the program. And it’s something they can keep, a memento of their time in the program.”

He’s already planning for the future: “In the next few years, I want to grow this. Maybe our welding students get welding jackets, or the electrical students get a small set of hand tools with Madison County on it, something they can use and take pride in.”

Daniel said he appreciates the support of HireSmart in looking for ways to promote ag and trade careers locally.

“They (HireSmart) are just willing to pour into the community, into these students, because they know the difference that little bit of an edge can make,” he said.

As Baby Boomers age out of the workforce, younger generations don’t have the same numbers, a demographic fact that underscores the importance of workforce development at schools like the Broad River College and Career Academy to offset labor shortages.

Industry leaders interested in supporting the BRCCA ag mechanics program or learning more about it can contact Daniel at jdaniel@madison.k12.ga.us. To offer suggestions on how HireSmart Cares can help local youth develop ag or trades-based skills, email info@hiresmartcares.org.