This ideal is on full display in Chris Guenther's welding classroom at W.F. West High School. The class is purposefully kept small for safety reasons and the first month or so of each semester is dedicated to shop safety. But once the work gets going, the classroom runs like a professional shop with students held to industry standard safety and work standards.

"I want them to be able to operate the shop if I’m not here. I want them to be able to set it up, do their work and assess their work for quality," Guenther said. "I like to think the students run the shop. They all understand the importance of the world of work and safety."

About 20% of Guenther's students will pursue welding as a career and many more are drawn to the class because they value welding as a valuable life skill. Sometimes, students are like Jaden Blanks, 12th, who was initially drawn to the welding class because he wanted to learn how to fix his mini bike at home. After his classroom experience, he now plans to pursue welding as career through the Centralia College welding program and even knows what industry certifications he wants to pursue in the field. Blanks said it was the breadth of his learning in Guenther's class that really sparked his interest in going further.

"Mr Guenther is willing to teach you everything," he said.

For Guenther, preparing students for the field of welding means running his classroom like a professional welding shop. Guenther will not allow a student to progress past a skill without a score of 80% or better, with more advanced students held to even stricter standards.

"I have a high expectation that if they’re going to pursue this, they have to have extremely high standards," Guenther said.

Guenther's high standards are actually a point of pride for his students as well.

"He grades pretty tough, so we actually have to learn to be good at welding," said Taylor Pannkuk, 11th.

"It’s preparing me for a future in the trades, the reality of it and the work and practice involved," said student Paige Gamez, 10th.

Breanna Rogers, 11th, who will be pursuing sky high welding in the Centralia College welding program next year, said her experience in Guenther's class makes her feel more confident heading into her next steps.

"If I was to go into the college program with no experience I think it would be rough," Rogers said.