The Trades Are Back: 50 Years of the Mertz Career and Technical Center

For decades, the message was clear: go to college, earn a degree, and build your future there.

But somewhere along the way, the country lost sight of something simpler — and essential.

We still need people who can fix what’s broken.

This year, the Mertz Career and Technical Center at Bath County High School marks 50 years of preparing students for careers in the skilled trades — from automotive repair and carpentry to electrical work and beyond. It’s a milestone worth celebrating. But it’s also a story worth telling.

At the heart of it is Roy Burns — a man who spent 36 years as a mechanic before stepping into the classroom at a moment when the program needed someone to step up.

“I didn’t want to see this program die.”

Burns is quick to point out that he didn’t make that transition alone. He credits Principal John Taylor and the vocational staff at Mertz with guiding him from the garage to the classroom — offering the kind of mentorship that made the shift not just possible, but meaningful. Taylor, he says, has built an environment where instructors are trusted to bring their real-world experience with them — giving them the flexibility to shape programs that reflect what students will actually face in the workforce.

And that matters more than ever.

Across the country, skilled trades are no longer overlooked — they’re in demand. Mechanics, electricians, HVAC technicians, and other skilled workers are increasingly hard to find, even as the need continues to grow. Programs like Mertz are stepping into that gap, offering students hands-on training, real internship experience, and a direct path into careers that are both practical and essential.

The community will have a chance to see that work up close.

The 50th Anniversary Celebration begins Saturday, April 18th at 1 p.m. at Bath County High School — with tours, student demonstrations, historical displays, and a chance to reconnect with the people who have shaped the program across five decades.

But the bigger story goes beyond the celebration.

It’s about how a community held onto something that nearly slipped away — and how that decision is quietly shaping the future of work.

🎧 Listen to the full story below.

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