News Summary
The Heavy Metal Summer Experience camp in Las Vegas wrapped up its second annual session, offering high school students hands-on training in skilled trades like HVAC and welding. With a competitive application process, the camp drew 175 applications for only 24 slots, emphasizing the growing interest in careers within skilled trades. Participants engaged in various practical tasks under the mentorship of experienced instructors, showcasing their newfound skills through unique lamp projects. The camp highlights the importance of skilled trades for future job opportunities and economic development in the region.
Las Vegas – The Heavy Metal Summer Experience camp, aimed at high school students interested in skilled trades like HVAC, pipefitting, and sheet metal work, successfully wrapped up its second annual session in Southern Nevada on June 27, 2025. Hosted at the UA Local 525 Plumbers, Pipefitters and Service Technicians facility in northeast Las Vegas, the camp showcased a notable demand for skilled trades, receiving 175 applications for just 24 slots.
The program, which ran from June 23-27, provided a platform for 24 campers, affectionately referred to as “junior tradies,” to gain hands-on experience through various activities. Attendees from diverse educational backgrounds—including comprehensive high schools, career and technical academies, charter schools, and private institutions—showed a strong interest in the skilled trades, with participants hailing from across Clark County, including one camper who traveled from Pahrump.
Campers were involved in practical tasks such as constructing lamps using copper pipes, along with soldering, welding, and fabrication skills. Mentorship played a significant role during the camp, with journeymen and experienced instructors guiding the participants throughout their learning journey. The camp also expanded its capacity this year, increasing daily programming by two hours compared to the previous year, allowing for an enriched experience for those enrolled.
The Heavy Metal Summer Experience is a national nonprofit organization that has set up camps at 54 locations across the U.S. and Canada, serving around 900 students in 2025. The Las Vegas camp implemented a rigorous selection process through interviews to choose its campers, emphasizing the competitive nature of the application process. The entire cost for participation is approximately $3,000 per camper, which covers essential training materials, tools, and boots required for the projects.
The importance of the skilled trades cannot be overstated, as emphasized by local training coordinators. With apprenticeships offering attractive starting salaries ranging from $45,000 to $123,000 annually, depending on experience and trade position, there is a growing awareness of the career viability that these fields provide. Apprenticeships also allow participants to earn while they learn, ensuring job security and avoiding the burdens of traditional college debt.
Throughout the camp, students expressed their motivations and aspirations in trades. Tatianna Hernandez, a 17-year-old camper, reflected on the educational value of the program and indicated her keen interest in pursuing structural welding. Daquan Hollingshead, another participant aged 18, noted his plans to attend trade school for HVAC, influenced by family ties with industry success. Aiden Maffett, a 15-year-old camper, found joy in the hands-on nature of the camp, likening the experience to playing with Lego bricks.
Each camper showcased their newly acquired skills by creating their unique lamp projects, which served as tangible representations of their learning experience. The Heavy Metal Summer Experience camp is strategically aimed at nurturing the next generation of skilled tradespeople who are essential to the workforce and whose skills cannot be outsourced. With increasing awareness and interest in skilled trades, this camp not only encourages education in the field but also highlights the pressing job demand and career opportunities available for today’s youth.
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Additional Resources
- Las Vegas Sun: No Desks, No Debt – Teens Try Out Trades
- Wikipedia: Vocational Education
- 8 News Now: Las Vegas Teens Discover Welding Passion
- Google Search: Skilled Trades
- Las Vegas Sun: Heavy Metal Summer Experience
- Google Scholar: Trade Schools
- Nevada Appeal: How Nevada Aims to Increase Vocational Education
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Skilled Trades
