New Ulm, Minn. — Big Ideas Inc. of New Ulm is a “game changer” in the world of career exploration, said Gwenn Wolters, career and technical education coordinator for South Central Service Cooperative.
The Big Ideas Mobile Learning Lab is a mobile unit that brings hands-on experience directly to learners, complete with immersive industry-level simulators and personalized instruction from a team of skilled trades professionals.
Big Ideas was founded in 2017 and its first Mobile Learning Lab event was in 2021. Since 2021, they’ve had nearly 38,500 interactions with learners.
“The reason why I promote Big Ideas is because of the experience students have with the virtual activities,” said Wolters. “Putting this kind of technology in the hands of middle and high school students allows them to explore in a safe environment and figure out where their interests lie.”
The Mobile Learning Lab primarily visits high schools but also career fairs, as well as community and industry events, said Justin Hendricksen, Big Ideas interim executive director. It’s based in New Ulm and travels throughout the upper Midwest.
The Mobile Learning Lab’s key focus areas are welding, heavy equipment, painting and carpentry. Also available for learners are headsets featuring 23 different career options.
According to the Big Ideas website, the Lab “is loaded with high-end skilled trades simulators designed to help learners uncover new opportunities and natural abilities they’ve never tapped into before. The technology in the Lab helps make the experience fun and engaging, while our dedicated staff goes the extra mile to provide individualized mentorship and advice.”
Meghan Ward, licensed school counselor at Madelia Public Schools, raves too about the Big Ideas Mobile Learning Lab.
She arranged for the Lab to visit on Sept. 11, 2024, with 98 students in grades 9 and 10 able to experience more than 26 different skilled trade careers through the Lab and virtual reality headsets. The goal was to expose students to skilled trade options.
The previous spring, Madelia had 10th, 11th and 12th grade students attend.
“They really enjoyed it,” Ward said. “Younger students saw the event and asked when they could participate. We did not limit who could attend. We had all students go through by grade level.”
“A lot of our students really enjoyed the hands-on experiences,” she said. “Positive feedback was given by all regarding the virtual reality headsets. I thought it was a great way to showcase careers and trades and get students to try something without any real risk. It was great to see a mixture of students participate, even those who are not interested in the trades.”
Too often, the trades get left out of explorable options for students, Ward said.
“They’re viewed as not as valuable, prestigious or important,” she said. “These careers take highly skilled individuals and are an essential part of our society. A lot of students are not aware of how to access trade opportunities, the benefits and the pathways to for training and a successful career. Activities like the Mobile Learning Lab help to inform our students through hands-on learning and engagement.”
Hendricksen said promoting the fields in the trades is crucial because there’s a national shortage of skilled workers. What’s more, trades offer excellent career opportunities without requiring a four-year degree, and they’re essential to the infrastructure and economy.
Trades jobs are gaining in popularity because of a rising awareness of what they offer, which is high-paying, stable careers, he said. Student loan concerns also make alternatives to traditional college more appealing. And learners are discovering pathways that match their strengths.
“Programs like Big Ideas are helping to destigmatize and promote the trades,” he said.
Samuel Cotton, K-12 dean of students for Nicollet Public Schools, has had Big Ideas out for the last handful of years. “We make it an all-day event for our students,” he said.
Cotton views the trades as a valuable option for high school graduates.
“Our students can leave high school and go directly into the trades fields,” he said. “The amount of money they’re making is more than what many of our partners are making when they graduate with four-year degrees. Students don’t have to go to a four-year school to get a good job.”
Cotton said he’s eager to have Big Ideas return to Nicollet Public Schools.
“I can say that if they are available we certainly want to have them come back again this year,” he said. “It’s a really neat experience.”