Nathan Meredith, a teacher at Owensboro High School, is giving his students a head start in the world of trades through his Blue Collar Breakfasts. Once a semester, he connects students with local contractors and employers over breakfast at Dee’s Diner to offer a unique opportunity for students to explore career paths outside of traditional college routes.
Meredith has been teaching at the school for several years and launched the breakfasts with the simple goal of showcasing how bright a future in the trades could be.
“I thought this would be a good opportunity for the kids and employers to get to know each other,” Meredith said. “You know, coax them in with free food – because these kids will eat anything – and introduce them to some of these folks. Hopefully, it’ll set something up for the future.”
And it has. Meredith noted that several students have been hired on the spot at past events.
“We’ve had kids get hired right here at these breakfasts,” he said. “It’s been great to see it pay off for them.”
At Wednesday’s breakfast, Meredith welcomed contractors from the carpenters’ union, Kite Home Center, and local contractors such as Don Outlaw and Gorman Holland. Adam Hicks from the Home Builders Association was also in attendance, along with members of the Sons of AMVETS, who sponsored the meal.
Hicks praised the event for bridging the gap between students and the trades.
“This breakfast is a great opportunity for students to meet business leaders in the construction and building industry,” Hicks said. “Our community has a shortage of employees in the trades, and events like this open up conversations that spark an interest in these careers.”
The Sons of AMVETS, represented by Vice Commander Bill Layson, picked up the tab for the breakfast.
“We’re all retired from the trades, and we know how important it is to get young people interested in these fields,” Layson said. “There’s a void right now because the trades are getting older, and we need to fill that gap.”
For the students, the breakfast is more than just a free meal. Eli Hampton, a junior at Owensboro High School, said it’s helping him focus on his future.
“It’s awesome,” Hampton said. “It gives us face-to-face time with people in the construction industry and helps us get a new perspective on what that life looks like. I want to be a project manager when I’m older, so this is really helpful.”
Another student, Juan Quantina, echoed Hampton’s sentiments, saying that the event opens doors for students.
“It’s a great way to get to know people who can help us in the future,” Quantina said. “I’m really interested in carpentry, and the benefits with the unions are appealing to me.”
Meredith has been funding a big portion of the event himself until now and is grateful for the growing community support.
“This has grown to the point where I can’t do it alone anymore,” he said. “But if it sets these kids up for the future, it’s well worth it.”
Looking ahead, he plans to continue hosting the breakfasts once each semester.
“College isn’t the answer for everyone,” he said. “There’s a lot of money to be made in the trades, and several of these unions are willing to pay kids to go to college once they’re in the apprenticeship programs. It’s all about setting these kids up for the future.”
