Skilled Trades Education Center
Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky employers across the skilled trades are facing a workforce reality that continues to intensify. Demand for skilled labor is outpacing the available workforce, while many young people lack early, meaningful exposure to careers that offer strong wages, long-term stability, and advancement without requiring a traditional four-year degree. Skilled Trades Education Center.
Scouting has long been recognized for developing leadership, work ethic, problem-solving, and practical skills in young people. Today, Dan Beard Council, Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America), is building on that legacy by directly connecting those core Scouting values to the region’s most pressing workforce needs.
This month, Dan Beard Council will open a new facility at Camp Friedlander, located at the Dan Beard Scouting Reservation in Miami Township, designed to introduce youth to skilled trades through hands-on, career-connected learning.
Scouting as an Early Workforce Development Solution
The Dever Family Foundation Skilled Trades Education Center, a 10,000-square-foot, purpose-built education facility, officially opens January 24, 2026. The center provides immersive learning experiences that reflect real job environments and align directly with today’s skilled trades industries.
Scouting uniquely reaches youth at a formative age—often years before career decisions are made. Through experiential learning, mentorship, and values-based education, Scouting helps young people discover interests, build confidence, and develop transferable skills that employers consistently say they need: teamwork, accountability, communication, and problem-solving.
By integrating skilled trades education into Scouting programs, the center ensures career awareness begins early, when curiosity is high and pathways are still open.
Addressing a Growing Skilled Trades Workforce Gap
Construction, electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing employers across the region report ongoing labor shortages that threaten growth and productivity. While demand continues to rise, many students are unaware of skilled trades opportunities until after critical education and training windows have passed.
Dan Beard Council identified an opportunity to intervene earlier—using Scouting’s trusted platform to introduce skilled trades as respected, viable, and rewarding careers. The Dever Family Skilled Trades Education Center serves as a bridge between youth development and workforce readiness, giving young people a realistic understanding of what these careers involve and what it takes to succeed.
A Facility Designed for Real-World Skills and Career Exploration
The Dever Family Foundation Skilled Trades Education Center features dedicated learning bays for carpentry, electrical, plumbing, automotive maintenance, robotics, and welding. Each space was designed to reflect professional job sites while prioritizing safety and age-appropriate instruction.
Participants don’t just observe—they build, troubleshoot, collaborate, and solve problems. These experiences mirror the hands-on nature of skilled trades careers. While reinforcing the leadership and teamwork principles at the heart of Scouting.
The center also includes flexible space for workforce demonstrations, industry-led workshops, corporate volunteer days, and employer engagement. This design allows businesses, unions, and trade organizations to meet youth where they are. Introducing career pathways in a setting built for learning and exploration.
Philanthropy That Strengthens the Trades Pipeline
The Dever Family Foundation’s leadership gift made the center possible. It reflects a multigenerational commitment to youth opportunity, workforce development, and community impact. By investing in early exposure to skilled trades through Scouting, the foundation is helping create a sustainable pipeline of future workers prepared for in-demand careers.
The center is expected to serve more than 1,000 youth annually through Scouting programs, school partnerships, and community initiatives. Those early experiences will lead to apprenticeships, certifications, and long-term careers. That support families and strengthen the regional economy.
Why This Matters to Skilled Trades Employers
For employers, workforce development is no longer a distant concern. It is a present-day business imperative. The Skilled Trades Education Center offers a direct, scalable way for industry to engage earlier in the talent pipeline.
Corporate partners can support programming, provide subject-matter expertise, host demonstrations, or engage Scouts as mentors. These interactions help students see real people behind the careers, while employers build awareness, brand trust, and long-term community relationships.
Scouting delivers youth who are already developing the character, discipline, and leadership skills that employers value. Paired now with early technical exposure.
A Regional Workforce Asset Built on Scouting’s Strengths
The Dever Family Foundation Skilled Trades Education Center complements broader workforce development efforts across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. It supports educators, workforce organizations, and economic development leaders. Focused on preparing young people for high-demand careers that do not require traditional four-year degrees.
By combining Scouting’s time-tested youth development model with hands-on skilled trades education, the center positions the region as a leader in practical, early-stage workforce solutions.
Tour the Dever Family Foundation Skilled Trades Education Center
Business leaders, skilled trades employers, and community partners interested in seeing the impact firsthand are encouraged to tour the Dever Family Foundation Skilled Trades Education Center. To schedule a visit or learn more about partnership opportunities, contact Michele Landers, Dan Beard Council, at Michele.Landers@Scouting.org.
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