Schedule

Monday – Thursday 8:00AM to 5:00PM daily (one-hour lunch break 12:00-1:00PM)

Course Overview

This one-week intensive course offers high school students a hands-on introduction to multiple skilled trades through guided, practical experience. Each day focuses on a different discipline — welding, automotive and engine repair, carpentry, electrical work, and general shop labor — giving students the opportunity to explore how these trades connect to real-world careers. Emphasis is placed on safety, tool use, and basic project-based tasks in each area. Whether students are interested in pursuing a trade pathway or simply want to gain practical life skills, this course provides a dynamic, engaging foundation in essential hands-on work.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to demonstrate introductory-level skills in a variety of trades and understand the expectations and responsibilities of working in skilled labor environments. Specifically, students will:

Assist with shop laborer tasks such as material handling, tool maintenance, and cleanup

Practice proper PPE use and safety awareness across all shop environments

Operate basic welding equipment and perform simple welds under supervision

Perform basic maintenance or diagnostic tasks on small engines or vehicles

Use carpentry tools to measure, cut, and assemble simple wooden structures

Identify common electrical tools and safely wire a basic residential outlet or switch

Resources

NIT will provide in-shop PPE. Work boots required.  

Determination of Credit

Each intensive will include two primary components:

• 32 hours of in-person instruction at the NIT shop
• Completion of the Student Workbook

Student workbooks are developed using NIT’s curriculum and will include reading assignments, vocabulary and key concept reviews, independent exercises, embedded video content with required responses, knowledge checks, safety highlights, and a final independent written project

Course Schedule