At a “Trades Day” event in the spring of his senior year at Boyne City High School, Zach Piechan listened as Montana Moblo from Manthei Construction talked about his job as a lead diesel mechanic.
Piechan knew he had an interest in working on heavy equipment after high school, but he wasn’t sure of which path to take. Hearing Moblo discuss his work at the event, organized by Char-Em ISD Career and Technical Education and school district staff, piqued his interest enough to meet with him one-on-one to learn more.
“I knew I didn’t want to work on smaller vehicles,” said Piechan, during a “Career Tech to Careers” signing event held for him in November 2025 (pictured at top of page). “It did not seem as interesting to me as working on larger, heavy equipment.”
Once Piechan graduated in June 2025, he applied for an open position with Manthei, at the encouragement of Josh Todd, a Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates (JMG) Specialist who helped connect Piechan with Moblo at the spring career fair.
JMG specialists are employed by Northwest Michigan Works! in partnership with Char-Em ISD’s career tech team, serving as job mentors for area teens. The presence of these specialists means stories like Piechan’s are becoming more familiar across Char-Em ISD school districts. JMG Specialists can now be found in each of the ISD’s 11 districts, working with students on post-secondary planning.
These positions are one of the numerous initiatives of the ISD’s Career and Technical Education department, funded by a dedicated career tech millage that comes before voters every four years, said Jim Rummer, Director of Career and Technical Education for Char-Em ISD.
“When voters approved the millage in May 2022, we made it clear that part of the funding was going to be used for increasing the number of job coaches – and that’s exactly what we did. These coaches are working with hundreds of students across the region to help them find careers in fields they are passionate about,” said Rummer.
Co-op back in schools
Rummer also noted that the last CTE millage brought about a resurgence of “co-op,” also known as work-based learning. This is a program that used to be prevalent in schools, allowing high school students to work during part of the school day during their senior year – earning wages, high school credits, and experience in a field of interest.
The ISD’s partnership with Northwest Michigan Works in the co-op program can also mean help for businesses with student wages, as well as connections to different grants and programs to support the student workers, such as money for tools needed for certain jobs.
“We are able to offer businesses not only students with real-world skill, talent, and sometimes certifications, but we can also provide the first $1,500 of wages in a co-op experience for interested businesses. That’s huge,” said Rummer.
Tracy Beckley, Youth Services Regional Director for Northwest Michigan Works, said 40 students are participating in a co-op experience during this school year, 2025-26. The JMG Specialists are busy with connecting students with their futures through a variety of efforts beginning in middle school and through high school, she noted.
“We encourage high school students to explore careers that match their interests and goals. We arrange classroom speakers and company tours, and also focus on interviewing preparation and work experiences,” Beckley said. “Each specialist is able to arrange short-term work experiences through Northwest Michigan Works! or longer term experiences such as co-op placements. By the end of senior year we want each senior to have a solid plan to launch their career.”
Ryan Meier is celebrated at a Career Tech to Careers signing event at a home under construction in Harbor Springs by Bay Water Builders.
The co-op program made a big difference in post-graduation plans for Ryan Meier, a 2025 graduate of Harbor Springs High School. During the last part of his high school career, Meier began participating in the co-op program with Bay Water Builders, spending half his day at school and half his day on the job, earning money.
After graduating, he accepted a job as an entry-level carpenter with the building firm, owned by Scott McShannock.
“As a new employer, as of about a year ago, I am now starting to hire more employees. I would love to get more kids coming out of career tech programs,” said McShannock.
Meier said he encourages other high school students to enroll in co-op to get a jump start on life after high school.
“I would encourage any high school student to take CTE courses, and especially to take part in co-op,” said Ryan. “First, it helps shorten the school day, you get to work on things that interest you, and you can earn money through the school year. You also get a head start on your career.”
Caleb Powell, a 2024 graduate of Concord Academy – Petoskey, also benefited from his co-op experience and the ability of students in one district to enroll in career tech programs offered in another. During his senior year, he took the welding class offered at Pellston High School and he participated in co-op, working at S&S Welding in Petoskey for part of his school days. After graduation, he began working full-time at S&S.
“I would encourage any student to take career tech classes in high school. The trades need the workers,” said Powell, in a June 2024 interview. “And also, they’re really fun classes to take.”
Celebrating students with ‘Career Tech to Careers’ Signing Events
Not only are these students being placed into solid career paths, the ISD also makes time to celebrate their accomplishments of going right into the workforce utilizing vocational education skills.
A few years ago, the Career Tech staff started ‘Career Tech to Career’ signing events. Modeled after the signing events for student-athletes committing to play sports in college, the Career Tech to Careers events celebrate high school students who are putting the knowledge and skills they learned in career tech classes directly to work. The events bring together the student and often their family members, ISD staff, JMG Specialists, Northwest Michigan Works representatives, and school district staff including their former teachers, counselors, and administrators.
Caleb Powell is celebrated with a Career Tech to Careers signing event at S&S Welding in Petoskey.
“This is a way we go full circle in supporting these young adults who are putting their skills to work in valuable trades in our communities,” said Rummer. “It is a total joy to see them celebrated and realize what they are doing matters.”
The students featured in this article were all celebrated with these signing events over approximately the last year. The ISD has recognized dozens of students for this feature; find the stories at https://charemisdcareertech.org/career-tech-to-careers/.
Career Tech millage on the ballot
On May 5, 2026, voters throughout Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Antrim counties will be asked to consider Char-Em ISD’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) millage proposal. This millage has funded vocational programs throughout the ISD’s 11 public school districts for 30 years, with the original millage approved by voters in 1996.
The 1.0 mill request, if approved, would keep the current 23 high school career tech programs operating across the ISD’s 11 public school districts, while maintaining numerous kindergarten-12th grade initiatives such as the job coaching and co-op opportunities described above, as well as: Char-Em Street STEM delivering science, technology, engineering, and math tools; seven summer camps; career counseling; work-based learning; and tours of businesses, colleges, and trade schools, among many other efforts and innovations.
The millage would generate approximately $8.1 million annually from 2026-2029.
Learn more about Char-Em ISD Career and Technical Education and the May 2026 millage request at www.charemisdcareertech.org
What are JMG Specialists?
Char-Em ISD Career and Technical Education Department partners with Northwest Michigan Works in a number of ways, including with providing Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates (JMG) Specialists who work directly with students in local school district. The JMG Specialists are job mentors, helping students hone in on their post-secondary plans.
Tracy Beckley, Youth Services Regional Director for Northwest Michigan Works, of which JMG is a part, explained their role:
“The mission of JMG includes equipping young people with the skills and support needed to succeed in education, employment, and life. We are mentors for students in their journey in figuring out what they would like to do after high school graduation. We provide opportunities, experiences, information, and support as they make their plans. The JMG Specialist contacts each student at least once a month after graduation for a year to encourage them to follow through on their goals or pivot if necessary. After this, some students turn the tables and stay in touch with their specialist!”
Beckley said the JMG Specialists provide a critical link of directly bridging students with employers in their communities, which by the nature of the school day is not possible by other school staff working with students in buildings.
“We have the flexibility to take students out of school to explore career and educational opportunities such as colleges, trade schools, or local businesses. This can be with a group of students or working individually with a student with a specific interest,” Beckley said. “We form relationships with the students to help them zero in on their interests and support them along the way. We provide students with items they need to succeed in school or at work, such as emergency gas cards or professional workwear. As Northwest Michigan Works! employees, we bring strong connections with local businesses and all the resources that Northwest Michigan Works! brings to the community through our grants and programs.”