Planting the Seed: Union Welding Program Reaches Yakima Youth
Opportunity doesn’t always knock at the front door. Sometimes it has to be brought inside. That’s exactly what longtime Yakima welder Steve Menard is doing at the Yakima County Juvenile Justice Center.
Instead of giving up on kids who’ve made mistakes, Menard is investing in their future. He’s been hauling in a virtual welding simulator so young people can safely try their hand at the trade, without sparks or risk.
Last week, Menard was joined by his son Joe Menard, who now runs MBI Construction Services, and Joe Valdez from Sheet Metal Workers Local 55. Together, they shared the benefits of apprenticeship: wages that start at $27.50 an hour, health and retirement benefits, and the chance to learn a skill that can take you anywhere in the world.
“I like to call it a five-year degree in sheet metal work,” Joe Menard told the group of four young men. “You can take those skills with you anywhere.”
For Valdez, the story is personal. He’s traveled the world with his trade, earning as much as $5,000 a week. And he made sure to tell the youth in the room: a criminal record doesn’t automatically disqualify you. What matters is honesty, showing up, and being ready to put in the work.
That message landed. As the teens took turns welding virtually—watching their practice welds show up on a big screen—several said they’d already tried welding before. Others were intrigued by the chance to start fresh.
“This isn’t about giving handouts,” Valdez said. “It’s about giving people a path.”
For Menard, who founded MBI in 1988 and has spent decades giving back to Yakima, the project is about more than teaching welding. It’s about showing kids that there are people in the community who care about their future.
“When you’re working a full-time job, making a good living,” Menard said, “you don’t have the law coming after you.”
And with a wave of retirements hitting the trades, there’s never been a better time for young people to step in. “There’s a big gap out there,” Joe Menard added. “Lots of opportunities for these kids.”
At 78, the elder Menard laughed at his own persistence: “This old man is still teaching. I’m looking for replacements.”
But to the young men in the room, it didn’t look like persistence. It looked like hope.
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