Foster youth get hands-on industrial training through state program

PALMER — They’ve been heartbroken and without stable families for years. One of them tried to commit suicide — three times.

But Wednesday, 18 foster youth got a hopeful glimpse of a brighter future as they drove semi-trucks and worked on welding projects at Northern Industrial Training as part of an Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development pilot program.

“These kids have been through more hardships than most of us will ever experience in our entire lives,” said Mary Rodman-Lopez, an employment security analyst with the state, of the youths ages 16 to 20 taking part in the first Interactive Career Fair in partnership with NIT and the Alaska Office of Children’s Services. “So this is such a great opportunity for them to test and see what skills they have and if these are the sorts of occupations they want to go into.”

C.J. Weatherford, a senior at Burchell High School in Wasilla, was one of them.

Weatherford, 18, has dreamed of being a welder and working with heavy equipment since childhood, but has battled addictions to painkillers and cocaine, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder since growing up with a violent stepfather and later being placed in a series of foster homes.

“This is the first chance I’ve had to really get a glimpse of a possible career by actually getting to try welding and truck driving,” Weatherford said while taking a break from buffing up a piece of metal cut in the shape of Alaska that will make a nice memento of the day at NIT. “My family cycle was drinking and doing drugs, having kids at a young age and skipping school. I’m the only child so far that has actually lived until 18 and been drug free and alcohol free and no kids and still in school and about to transfer into a program that will help me survive on my own.”

NIT Executive Vice President Joey Crum said Monday he and his brother, Richie Crum, couldn’t think of a better way to help young people like Weatherford see how they could make a living doing something they might actually enjoy.

And the skills they would learn at NIT are in high demand by Alaska employers, Crum said.

“When we were contacted by the Department of Labor to conduct an interactive job fair to expose foster youth to some hands-on training, we jumped at the opportunity and would absolutely do it again,” Crum said. “Interacting with the kids throughout the day, we could tell they really enjoyed the experience to play with the big toys. Many of these kids have been exposed to that type of work through their families, but never got a chance to try it for themselves.”

Crum wanted to thank NC Machinery for donated hats and heavy equipment for the training and Greatland Welding for the discounted metal used to cut out their Alaska ornaments. Alaska Industrial Hardware also donated protective gear.

“Alaska employers are looking for a local workforce,” Crum said. “They don’t want to have to recruit from the states. So we’re hoping this opened their eyes to that sort of opportunity.”

Loren Nerguson, a 19-year-old Burchell High student, said he entered foster care about six years ago after his father had a fatal heart attack. His mother slipped into a deep depression, causing him to be placed in foster care when he was 13.

Nerguson said he only has four credits to finish up at BHS before earning his diploma and is grateful he had the opportunity to do some training at NIT.

“I’d already thought about going into heavy equipment, so being able to drive a truck and operate an excavator was a lot of fun,” he said. “I hope they do this for other people. It’s a great opportunity to learn the basics.”

OCS Independent Living Specialist Nora Skow had trouble containing her excitement Wednesday as she watched her young clients from Fairbanks welding grinders inside NIT’s shop off the Palmer-Wasilla Highway.

She said she’s always loved working with teenagers and was previously a foster mother to teens.

“My kids from Fairbanks are all interested in working in mining, but this gives them something else to consider,” Skow said. “Some are now interested in getting their commercial driver’s license and becoming truck drivers. So it motivates them to finish up their GEDs or get their diplomas when they can actually see a real career possibility.”

Indeed. Jackie Mike, 19, grinned ear-to-ear as she put the finishing touches on her personalized Alaska nameplate.

Having been in foster homes since she was in the third grade because of alcoholic parents, Mike later battled her own drug demons and was forced to enter a treatment facility in Sitka last year.

Now clean and sober, Mike sees endless career possibilities on the horizon.

“I grew up always wanting to be a nurse because I thought welding and truck driving were just for guys,” the dark-haired beauty said through her welding mask. “I never really thought I could do something like this, but now I see that I probably can.”

Contact K.T. McKee at kate.mckee@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.