LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A different kind of combine took place Thursday morning at Fairdale High School. Instead of working out in hopes to become a professional athlete, students hoped their skills would get them a job in a trade.
Fairdale has about 250 students in its heavy equipment and diesel tech pathway program.
"Our program gives kids an opportunity to go into the construction field, into diesel mechanic schools," said Dave Myers, a teacher at Fairdale High School. "What we're doing is real stuff. It's as live as it can be for 16-, 17- and 18-year-old high school students."
Jefferson County Public Schools even lent the program a school bus to work on. Students will talk about what they're doing in the classroom, draw it up on a board then go out to the shop and physically do it.
"My freshman year, the program was brand new," said Lane Paulson, a student at Fairdale High School. "I figured diesel mechanics here, working on stuff, would be a good opportunity for me. This program made me think about it a lot more and actually want to do it and start talking to different companies about a job for it so I can do it for a career."
JCPS said there'll be many students who will get jobs offers after Thursday's event. Companies as far out as Tompkinsville showed up to see what the students could do.
"Everyone's looking for the same student, one that comes in and is not a liability, that will show up to work on time and have a little bit of enthusiasm," Myers said.
Myers said two students have already been offered jobs that begin at $21.50 an hour. There's also been some students who've gone from the program to earning jobs that pay over six figures.
"Some of them had difficulty in the core classroom but they found something they love so they found a way to get through," Myers said. "It's life-changing, I mean seriously life-changing events for a lot of our kids."
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