Oakland Teen Receives National Recognition
Jake King, a 2021 graduate of Indian Hills High, is pursuing a career in the “trades.”
He decided to forego college and is heading to a trade school this September with the help of a national scholarship sponsored by the Mike Rowe Work Ethic Scholarship Program.
“For me, it wasn’t the English classes in high school that appealed to me,” he explained. “I was more interested in math and science, so I’m going to use that in trade school to become an electrician.’
Jake did his research and found that there is a critical shortage of skilled blue-collar workers in the U.S. His interest in math and science in high school will be of value in studying to become a commercial or residential electrician. He found that the average salary for electricians in N.J. is the second highest in the country, yet there is a shortage of young people coming out of high school who go into the trades.
“I’m choosing to go to a good trade school,” he said. “After that, I’d like to become a union apprentice and become an electrician. The shortage of workers works in my favor and I’ll earn good money and have benefits from the start. Let’s see where that takes me.”
Jake’s mom and dad and his two brothers make up his close-knit family. His younger brother attends Valley Middle School; his older brother just transferred into Rutgers University to study business. His dad works in the field of orthopedic products and his mother has worked for Express Scripts. His grandparents own the time-honored Yudin’s Appliance Store in Wyckoff. 
“I remember as a kid enjoying my visits to my grandparents’ appliance store,” he said. “It might have been where my interest in electrics came from. My family always encourages us to follow our interests. I didn’t want to graduate high school with no plan, so I made a plan…half a plan for my future. You’ve got to have at least a half a plan.”
Jake’s mom discovered the Mike Rowe Work Ethic Scholarship Program, a scholarship program for persons who demonstrate the work ethic, personal responsibility and positive attitude necessary for success in the trades. The Mike Rowe Works Foundation was established by the TV personality and star of the “Dirty Jobs” television show, pledged one million dollars for the national scholarship fund to highlight careers and opportunities in the trades. Jake applied by writing a “sweat pledge” which defined 12 elements of a good work ethic accompanied by a video that demonstrated the 12 elements. He wrote about his plan for the future and how he intends to achieve his goals. Jake was one of two New Jerseyans to receive the scholarship.
“Yeah, the way high school has ended because of the pandemic was not good, and I will miss it, but my mom was able to give me my diploma because she’s on the Ramapo-Indian Hills Board of Education. I lucky I know I’m going on to something I’m interested in and I will have a starting place for my future.”