Straight to Trades Ownership is a unique program founded in Boerne ISD designed to weld the relationship between trades and business ownership.
The overview
Started at the end of October, the program takes students through an 11-week business curriculum led by Andrew Flippo, executive director of the Hope Builds Life nonprofit, which promotes local businesses.
Flippo said this is a pilot program for the organization, which has been in development over the last year.
“We wanted to go to the high school level to teach some of the high-level skills in building a business, then go into some of the soft skills on the leadership side,” Flippo said. “When they go into the workforce, even if they don’t start a business, they will know how to work better with colleagues and move into a management role.”
In the second phase of the program, students will move into the business incubator at Das GreenHaus, where they’ll begin developing their own trades-based companies with mentorship, resources and workspace funded by local sponsors, according to an Oct. 3 news release.
Das GreenHaus Executive Director Samantha Morganroth said the program will help expand entrepreneurship in the area and provide students with the resources needed to potentially start their own business.
“We see so much value in bringing entrepreneurship to high school students,” she said. “They have just as many brilliant ideas, and they are really excited about businesses and the ideas that they have.”
At the end of the second phase, students will participate in a pitch competition, and the winners will have a sponsored membership at Das GreenHaus, providing hands-on experience.
Other contributors to the program include the Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce, the Boerne Kendall County Economic Development Corporation and community member Michael Ethridge.
Why it matters
Dorman Vick, Texas ag mechanics/welding teacher at Champion High School, said the program will help fill the growing skills gap in the country.
Overall, Vick said he hopes to set an example for education across the state and country, encouraging other school districts to put a spotlight on vocational education.
“The retirement rate is real, and I think for every five electricians there are only two coming in behind them,” he said.
Vick said the program's success, which includes an initial 24 students, is a testament to the community's collaborative efforts as organizations and leaders come together to rewrite how students receive education.
“It is beyond humbling to see our community come together and form this Straight to Trades entrepreneurship program,” he said. “Not only have we been, for 21 years, trying to close the widening skills gap, but now we are empowering these students to not only leave here making $80,000 a year, but also own their own companies.”
