Quitman ISD and Humphrey & Associates Inc., a construction contracting company operating primarily in northeast Texas, have partnered to offer a pathway out of high school for students to enter the plumbing and electrical industries.

This partnership was formed after a lengthy meeting between Superintendent Rhonda Turner and Humphrey & Associates Executive Vice President Randy Humphrey.  

Turner was introduced to Humphrey by Denea Hudman, executive director of Quitman Development Corporation (QDC).

“I had expressed to Ms. Hudman my almost two-year journey to bring some type of pathway for plumbing and electrical to QISD students,” Turner said. “I had researched several avenues, but I wanted to find the right fit for our district. While the industry need is large, the reality is that it will fit the career desires of a small percentage of our students. The cost of housing these programs and equipment is enormous, and students ultimately need to be partnered with someone who can give them the real life experience. Fortunately for QISD, Randy Humphrey had a vision similar to mine, and he had the knowledge, skills, connections and business model to help make this a reality for our students.”

Humphrey & Associates opened in Dallas in 1977 and has offices in Dallas, Denton and Fort Worth. The East Texas office is in Yantis.

The model will work like this: Josh Faulkner, safety and personnel coordinator for Humphrey & Associates, will meet multiple times with students specifically in the QHS Ag and Construction programs throughout their high school career. The students will work locally and go to class one night a week in Tyler.

Humphrey & Associates places a high priority on building relationships and mentoring. Students interested in entering into the plumbing and electrical fields will have opportunities to explore the field of study at school and outside of school. The object is not to pull students from current CTE programs but to allow them to continue to develop strong real-world skills they are learning through established programs. 

The work ethic, leadership skills, team work and interpersonal skills acquired through established CTE programs will serve these students well regardless of their chosen profession. Students interested in pursuing certifications for plumbing and electrical will be given opportunities to work directly for Humphrey & Associates upon high school graduation. 

Students who are accepted through this program will begin a paid apprenticeship immediately after high school with competitive pay, health benefits, 401k and a company scholarship valued at $25,000 to cover the cost of their one-night-a-week program at IEC Dallas, IEC Fort Worth or the Construction Education Foundation. 

“One of the benefits for students in the program is a seamless transition from high school to the work force,” Turner said. “Those students who end up going through the apprenticeship program with this company get what amounts to a $25,000 scholarship paid for by this specific company. I think that is incredible and it’s a great way for our kids not to leave school with debt.” 

“We are bringing these kids in at $13.65 per hour, which is a good income. They will be going up roughly to $52,000 a year. At the end of four years, they are right at $50,000 a year,” Humphrey said. “And that number is going up because of the industry shortage.”

Humphrey & Associates has built relationships with construction markets throughout northeast Texas and they are excited about the opportunity for the program in Quitman.

“I think the apprenticeship programs in electrical and mechanical, plumbing or welding or any of the skills trades will help the students exit high school and enter a career and continue down a path to journeyman and someday maybe even company ownership,” Humphrey added. “We have had a ton of apprentices come in and learn a trade, and in four or five years get their journeyman license and three or four years after that get a master’s license. Then they can step out and own their own business.”

Faulkner is ready to get started. “Our part is to try and introduce the trade to these high school students and they can hopefully pick a career path with us. They can come to work for us right after high school,” Faulkner said. “We introduce them to an apprenticeship program. They can work for us and go to school as they are making a living at the same time.”

Humphrey said what students are learning now can be applied to job-related knowledge. “What we are trying to do is make our apprenticeship post-graduation. Everything they are doing in ag class draws in to learning skills with their hands and learn applied building knowledge,” Humphrey said. “Everything they are learning in high school integrates into our apprentice program. Our program is specifically for electrical apprentices. We are going to take every kid we can, hire them and put them in the electrical apprenticeship. Those who desire welding, plumbing or pipe-fitting, we may take to a fellow contractor or one of our friends in the industry.”

“I believe this is an excellent opportunity for students not planning on attending a four-year university program to enter a high-paying and fast-growing career,” Quitman agriculture teacher Brant Lee said.