A Mother’s Pride, A Daughter’s Purpose
November 21, 2025
Before the conference, Emerson Luetkenhaus’s mom, Tammy, told me about a conversation they had when her daughter was just a sixteen-year-old sophomore at St. Charles High School.
“Mom, what’s my plan after high school? College? Trade school? Go to work and figure it out?” asked Emerson.
“Let’s explore your options. We are here to support you in whatever decision you make,” said her mother, Tammy.
Like so many families, they were searching for a path that didn’t force her to choose between education and experience. Through Career WayZ - USA, as a high school student in the FORT ZUMWALT SCHOOL DISTRICT and a Lewis-Clark Career Center welding student, Emerson found both.
Today, she’s learning to weld, earning a paycheck, and proving that purpose and pride can start long before graduation. The audience was enamored of a mother who was determined to provide the support and resources to help her daughter pursue a career in the trades. Questions about her safety and the environment for female welders were brought to the forefront.
As a mother, Tammy expressed her deep gratitude to Bryan Davis and the Career WayZ team for giving her daughter this opportunity. The BOI audience was visibly moved by her presence, a mother who took a day off work to sit proudly beside her skill trade daughter, showing the same resolve, faith, and strength she saw in her child.
What made Emerson’s story even more remarkable was the way Bryan Davis, CEO of Trinity Products, approached her development. With boldness and belief, he took a calculated risk, giving this young woman a real chance. Emerson was trained in just four weeks by a female welder and mentor, Brittany, having never struck a welding arc before. Bryan did what great leaders and mentors do: he let her work.
That’s the essence of apprenticeship: real mentorship, real learning, and real opportunity. This dynamic between employer, mentor, and apprentice is exactly why apprenticeship remains one of the most powerful workforce development models we have today.
You can read more about Trinity Product’s inspiring story here: From Arc to Achievement: Trinity Products Certifies 16-Year-Old Female Apprentice Welder in Just 30 Days
When school administrators support and engage in the RYA program, there is a faster and stronger momentum. Thank you, Dr. Brandon Russell, Dr. Pat Brown, and Tyler Abernathy for your continued collaboration and vision.
Power of Purpose
When a student starts a part-time manufacturing career through the Career WayZ Youth Apprenticeship Accelerator, they can earn over $100,000 by age 21 while learning, working, and growing right here in our community. That’s real money, real opportunity, and real purpose.
My “why” began when I saw too many young people full of potential but unsure where they fit in the workplace, and desperate to know how to make the first steps to employability. Our team built Career WayZ and the YAA to give them more than a job, to give them a future.
Working closely with expert trainers from Shows Coaching and a team of Career WayZ Journeyman RAP Coordinators, our growing team is setting a new standard for successful apprenticeships. This success is powered by the brilliance and advice of manufacturing CEOs who are personally investing in giving this movement the direction and support it needs.
Voices from the BOI Stage
The Why Behind YAA | Dan Fitter, Quest Specialty Products (CEO-retired)
“We built this Accelerator because our community’s workforce problem isn’t a lack of potential, it’s a lack of connection. The Career WayZ YAA bridges that gap between schools, students, and employers. It’s a model that’s solving the workforce shortage by creating a pipeline, not a patch.”
Dan shared the chart that started it all: the “Why” behind YAA. It illustrated what many of us have known for years: when employers invest early, they don’t just fill jobs; they build loyalty, longevity, and local economic impact.
The Supervisor’s Mindset | Bryan Davis , Trinity Products (CEO/President)
“From a line-management view, I used to think bringing in students would slow us down. But I was wrong. The Career WayZ apprentices, like Emerson, are ready, respectful, and remarkable. They’ve brought energy back to our shop floor.”
Bryan then introduced Emerson, who shared how her Career WayZ training prepared her to interview with confidence and step into the workplace ready to perform. Her poise and professionalism left an entire room of CEOs speechless; a sixteen-year-old reminding America’s business leaders that the future workforce is already here.
Out-of-the-Box Training | Mark Seyer, Seyer Industries, Inc.
“At Seyer Industries, we’re building sophisticated aerospace components and need strong technical people to do so. Innovation in manufacturing starts when we stop treating young talent like beginners and start treating them like the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for. Give a 17-year-old apprentice real responsibility and watch decades of ‘impossible’ become the new baseline. We’ve learned that when we pair high standards with strong mentorship, these young people rise to the challenge every single time.”
Mark’s remarks reinforced that innovation in manufacturing isn’t just about machines, it’s about mindsets. His team is proving that young apprentices can meet the highest expectations when trusted, trained, and empowered.
Attracting Youth Talent | Craig Moore, QUEST SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INC
“We’re not the biggest company in the Accelerator, but we’ve learned how to compete for talent and keep it. Our secret? We give students purpose, not just a paycheck. We focus on empowering, building confidence, teaching skills, and challenging them to keep growing. We treat them like family from day one and are their biggest advocates for success. As with all our employees, we are cheering them on to win and reach their personal goals!”
Craig’s story resonated deeply with the BOI audience. His company’s culture is personal, hands-on, and built around mentorship. It demonstrates that small manufacturers can make a big impact in building Gen Z’s career pathways.
Scaling and Sustainability | Dan Fitter, Quest Specialty Products
As the session closed, Dan returned to the mic with a reminder that summed up the entire presentation:
“We must get this right. Because if we do, if we continue to bridge education, industry, and community, we’ll not only solve our workforce challenges, we’ll transform our local economies for generations to come.”
Mobilizing Tomorrow’s Workforce Today | Cynthia Walker, Career WayZ
“Thank you to each of our employer partners for leading by example. You’re not just filling jobs, you’re fueling futures. Together, we’re proving that the next generation isn’t the problem to solve…It’s the solution we’ve been waiting for.”
The BOI presentation was more than a panel; it was a movement in motion.
To stand on stage beside CEOs like Dan Fitter, Bryan Davis, Mark Seyer, and Craig Moore, and alongside a 16-year-old trailblazer named Emerson, was to witness the future of American manufacturing: bold, inclusive, and unstoppable.
When education and industry work hand in hand, students find purpose, employers find talent, and communities find strength.
And that, truly, is worth far more than 100 Grand.
Schedule a consultation here: https://careerwayz.org/contact
Follow Career WayZ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/career-wayz-missouri/
Follow Cynthia Walker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-walker-46b8087a/
