Third Annual HDST Event is a Success in Edgewood

The Third Annual High Demand Skilled Trades Event was a success in Edgewood at Kendrick Forest Products on February 4th.

For the third annual event, 17 area businesses specializing in the skilled trades joined with 10 area schools to gap a bridge between our schools and workforce. This event is a result of a regional partnership between Delaware County Economic Development (DCED), Kendrick Forest Products, Edgewood Chamber of Commerce, and Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC). A very large thank you to Kendrick Forest Products for providing the perfect space for this event to take place.

This HDST event is aimed at providing a hands-on activity for students to really grasp what their next step could look like in the workforce. “It keeps things interesting and engaging, while also being educational.” Says Donna Boss, DCED Executive Director. Boss serves on the planning committee for this event and continues to serve is a bridge between the schools and workforce of Delaware County.

Among the businesses in attendance was the Edgewood Locker, a business that has been a staple in the Edgewood community for decades. As one of the four third-generation owners of the Edgewood Locker, Baili Maurer shares with us her thoughts on the event. “Attending the High Demand Skilled Trades event was an invaluable experience for the students in attendance. This hands-on event gave us the opportunity to connect directly with students interested in the trades, showcase the rewarding careers in meat processing, and highlight the skills needed in our industry.” Maurer goes on to share how important it is to connect with the next generation, “engaging with the next generation of skilled workers helps us build awareness about the opportunities at the Edgewood Locker and ensures a strong workforce for the future.”

The positive responses from our area businesses make looking ahead to the 2026 event very exciting! There’s hope to add a few more businesses and schools for next year. In attendance this year were the following businesses and school:

Participating businesses:

Burrington Group
Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers
Edgewood Locker
Hawkeye Electric
Taylor Construction
Price Electric
Fehr Graham Engineering
Henderson Products
Kendrick Forest Products
Big River United Energy
Farm Tek
Black Hills Energy

Participating Schools:

Maquoketa Valley
Edgewood-Colesburg
West Delaware
Central Elkader
Clayton Ridge
West Central
Nashua Plainfield
Starmont
Dunkerton
Oelwein