CENTRAL CITY, Neb. — Sparks fly, forging the next generation of skilled workers at a unique summer camp.
They’re investing in skills Nebraska agriculture depends on, and young people who depend on a career off the farm to support their work on it.
Hosted at Central City High School through The Leadership Center in Aurora, the camp combines several hours of daily welding instruction with tours of Nebraska manufacturers that employ welders and other skilled trades workers.
Instructor Alex Stocker said students spend much of the week learning welding techniques before seeing those skills applied in real-world manufacturing settings.
“We want students to see what an industry job would look like,” Stocker said.
For returning camper Eli Schimmels of Eustis-Farnam, the experience has helped turn an interest into a career goal.
“I really want to go into welding as my future,” Schimmels said.
Students visited Strobel Manufacturing, which is sponsoring the camp. Students also toured Reinke Manufacturing in Deshler, where irrigation pivots built in rural Nebraska are shipped around the world.
Reinke President Chris Roth said manufacturers continue to face strong demand for qualified welders despite increased automation.
“The robotics is more of the high-volume stuff that we do over and over again,” Roth said. “But we need the manual welders.”
Roth said careers in welding and manufacturing remain promising as companies continue investing in domestic production and advanced technology.
“The opportunities in welding are going to be very good for a long time,” Roth said.
Stocker said welding skills can be particularly valuable for students from farming and ranching backgrounds. While not every student can immediately return to a family operation, a skilled trade can provide income and flexibility while keeping them connected to agriculture.
Demand for the camp is growing as well. After offering two student sessions last year, organizers expanded to four student camps this summer and added a fifth session for teachers.
“There might be robots,” Stocker said, “but a robot will never take the place of all the welders.”
For many farm kids, welding isn’t a replacement for agriculture but a way to stay rooted in it. A skilled trade can provide steady income today and perhaps the opportunity to return to the family operation tomorrow.
“I work on our ranch. I love working on our ranch, but it just does not make as much money as I would like to make,” Schimmels said, saying he would like to work as a pipeline welder and save money to start his own welding shop or ranching operation.
“Sometimes going to the family farm is not the option. Or maybe it can also support the kid coming back part time… having skills, there’s always something that seems to get broken or needs fixing on the farm, too,” Stocker said of the skills kids gain.
The camp is sponsored by industry partners including Strobel Manufacturing and introduces students to career opportunities in welding, manufacturing and other industries that support agriculture across Nebraska.