Trades draw major interest at Silver Valley Career Fair

KELLOGG — More than 400 Silver Valley high school students made their way through the Silver Valley Career Fair last week at Kellogg High School, exploring a wide range of career and post-graduation opportunities. 

Each year, the fair brings roughly 50 businesses to KHS’ gymnasium, where they set up booths, host breakout sessions in classrooms and interact directly with students about potential career paths. 

Tina Karst, the organizer of the event and Kellogg School District’s special education director, was put in a challenging position earlier this year when a windstorm knocked power out across the region the evening before the fair’s original scheduled date. 

Karst quickly began working to reschedule the businesses, and she said she is glad she did. 

“The kids had a great time; the businesses are having a great time. Everyone I’ve talked to has said nothing but positive,” Karst said. 

The fair featured businesses and employers of all kinds, but blue-collar and trade-based industries appeared to make the biggest impact. Groups from Americas Gold & Silver, Hecla Mining, Bunker Hill Mining, Mike’s Specialty Welding and ACI drew some of the largest and most consistent crowds. 

Karst said that interest did not surprise her, especially given that recent national labor statistics showed people ages 18–25 made up nearly 25% of all new hires in skilled trades in 2024. 

One of the breakout sessions, titled Women in Mining, also drew consistent crowds. Women make up just 14% of the American mining workforce, which is higher than other skilled-labor fields such as general construction, which sits at 11%. 

Leah Murinko, a freshman at KHS, attended the Women in Mining presentation and said it opened her eyes to opportunities available for women in the industry. 

“It was really good,” Murinko said. “They talked about the different perspectives between working in the office and working underground.” 

While those booths drew the largest crowds, others — including Mountain Valley of Cascadia, Kootenai Health and the Brooks Hotel — also saw steady traffic throughout the morning. 

Mountain Valley of Cascadia has had real success recruiting potential nursing staff during past events, and CEO Emilee Kulin was thrilled that the fair was rescheduled.  

“This is a great event,” Kulin said. “It’s been so valuable to us over the years.”  

Several branches of the U.S. military and the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office also hosted booths, creating fun, interactive opportunities for students to show off feats of strength, including pull-ups and push-ups, for swag. 

    Kellogg High School sophomore Cyrus Reed attempts to complete 50 push-ups for a free t-shirt at the Air National Guard booth.
  

    Students had the opportunity to speak to deputies and carry various pieces of law enforcement equipment when they visited the Shoshone County Sheriff's Office booth at the Silver Valley Career Fair.