A partnership between Linn-Mar Community School District and Marion-based ESCO Electric is addressing workforce shortages in the skilled trades while giving students direct, job-ready experience.
This spring, Linn-Mar High School students are transforming a commercial shipping container into a fully functional construction site office. The district’s Career & Technical Education (CTE) Advisory Committee cultivated the connections to make this project possible. The committee aligns classroom learning with regional workforce needs.
“The advisory committee … create(s) meaningful connections between industry and education that benefit both students and employers,” said ESCO Account Manager Galen Lantermans. “The demand for skilled workers in the trades continues to grow, and partnerships like this help introduce students to those career paths earlier and more authentically.”
As part of the initiative, ESCO Electric relocated a standard shipping container to Linn-Mar High School and supplied materials for the buildout. Students in Residential Construction and Metals courses are completing the project as part of their coursework. They are cutting and welding steel openings for windows and doors, framing and insulating interior walls, installing drywall, and building interior finishes. Under professional oversight, they are wiring outlets, switches, and lighting. Once finished, the container will return to ESCO Electric for use as an operational jobsite office.
