This episode of the Pro Talk podcast is brought to you by Protective Products, the nation's oldest, most trusted direct-to-use supplier of surface protection and dust control.

From industry-leading econo runner, protection for most hardwood flooring, to zip wall, the contractor's choice for building quick containment areas.

Protective products works with you to keep your job sites protected and your customers happy.

Show that you care about preserving your quality craftsmanship with their full line of surface protection and dust control solutions.

See it all at protective products.com.

I think the conversation needs to start happening sooner.

And I think, you know, the part, the importance behind this conversation of, and the conversation is, what are the skilled trades and what do they look like and what are the employment opportunities?

We've got to destigmatize them.

Yeah. We've got to destigmatize them. Welcome to the Fine Home Building Pro Talk podcast, a regular discussion with building industry

professionals.

I'm Patrick McComb.

Today I'm joined by Eric Blimke, a shop teacher.

Where, Eric?

Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.

And what's the name of the school district where you work?

I work for the Cawortha Pine Ridge District School Board.

And how many kids and what ages are they in your classes?

Right now I've got 22 grade 10s. That's probably age, I think they're like 13, 14, 15 depending. Some of them are just getting their driving licenses for the first time. Yeah. And any older students or just 10th graders? It's very interesting. Because of this whole COVID thing, what we do is teachers in our schools has changed a lot.

So one week I'm with that group of students I mentioned.

And the other week, I bounce around supervising other classes.

And so I've got some older, like, grade 11s in those other weeks in our hand tools room.

And they would, you know, they're getting like 17, maybe some of them.

...