When not concentrating on his studies in electricity Wade Brooker likes to spend time fishing. (Photo provided)
CHURCHTOWN — Waterford High School senior Wade Brooker is looking forward to a life in the field of electrical contracting, possibly owning his own electrical contracting firm or pursuing electrical engineering studies at the college level.
Brooker is enrolled full time in the Washington County Career Center. He took some online classes from Washington State College of Ohio.
“I took speech class during the summer semester,” he said. “I’ve taken several classes. They were classes in composition, statistics, physics, just the basics.”
In high school he said his best classes have been in math and sciences.
At Waterford High School, Brooker was an all conference second baseman for the Waterford High School Wildcats baseball team. He said he is planning on playing this year.
Wade Brooker was the second baseman for the Waterford High School Wildcats baseball team. (Photo provided)
Brooker said his interest in electric contracting began when he was about 14 or 15 years old.
“My uncle owns his own electrical contracting business,” he said. “I was helping him out and I liked the work so I decided to join the program at the career center and learn more about it.”
Brooker said he plans to make electric contracting his career after graduation.
For the past year he has been working at Brooker General Contracting. Before that he worked for Bosner Plumbing, Electric and Refrigeration.
“I am planning on joining the local electrical union for an apprenticeship after graduation,” he said. “Once I get through my apprenticeship, I plan to travel the country and see what is out there.”
Wade Brooker has won all conference honors for the Waterford High School Wildcats baseball team. (Photo provided)
One of the first steps is completing a five-year apprenticeship, Brooker said.
“You apply for the position and then go through the interview process,” he said. “If you are selected you start the apprenticeship where you go work for an electrical company.”
Apprentices work during the day and have classes two nights a week to further their education, Brooker said.
After completing the apprenticeship they are classified as journeymen electricians. From there, he said they work their way through the ranks up to foreman.
Brooker said his ultimate goal is to be a master electrician and possibly operate his own electrical contracting business.
Last year Wade Brooker competed in the SkillsUSA program for the Washington County Career Center, placing seventh in Ohio in the general contracting-electricity category with this project. (Photo provided)
Brooker said he was one of three students in the career center program installing television sets in the center.
“We’ve done little things here and there,” he said. “We installed fans in the labs and wiring circuits for new equipment.”
In 2023 Brooker competed in the SkillsUSA program for the career center, placing seventh in Ohio in the general contracting-electricity category.
He added he has thought about enrolling in the electrical engineering program at Washington State.
“I haven’t made a decision on that yet,” he said.
For the past year Wade Brooker has been employed by Brooker General Contracting. He is one of the workers on the scaffold. (Photo provided)
Brooker is also a student ambassador for the career center. Ambassadors speak to students interested in the career center programs. He said they talk about general aspects of enrolling at the career center and the specifics of their program.
“It’s an honor just to be a representative of the center to students in the county,” he said. “I think it’s cool; some kids look up to you when you’re in that position.”