uacy Wilson, student adviser at the Western Welding Academy, knows how to get young people’s attention.

“Let’s see a show of hands,” Wilson said to a gathering of students at Power Technical this week. “Who likes money?”

Every hand in the welding lab went up.

“Well, there’s a bunch of high-paying jobs in the blue-collar trades,” Wilson said. “And you can start making good money at 19 or 20 years old.”

Passersby who saw the large, black-and-blue tour bus outside Power Technical on Monday might have thought a rock concert was taking place. But it was a different kind of band, on a different kind of road trip.

The Blue Collar Tour, a rolling trade seminar hosted by Western Welding Academy, stopped in Colorado Springs on the final leg of a two-month journey that included about 30 schools in nearly 20 states.

The purpose of the tour, officials said, is to provide students with a one-of-a-kind, interactive experience that exposes them to the variety of opportunities in the skilled trades.

“It’s a full-on road trip,” said creative director Beau Barkley. “Thirty schools in 60 days, on the road, is not easy. But we believe what we’re doing is important.”

The nationwide need for new skilled trade workers will only become greater as blue-collar employees get closer to retirement age — and it’s more than just an economic issue, Barkley said.

“The lack of blue-collar workers in this country is a potential national security threat,” he said. “For instance, the Navy wants to build three submarines per year, and they don’t have the workers. It a real issue.”

“You can stay on the sidelines and say, ‘Somebody’s got to do something about this,’ or you can get out there and do something. We decided to do something to try to inspire the youth.”

Four years ago, in the Blue Collar Tour’s infancy, Western Welding Academy founder Tyler Sasse would drive a single welding truck from school to school, promoting the merits of a career in the trades. Now, in addition to a large tour bus, instructors are equipped with a GoPro camera attached to a welding hood to show students what the work looks like from a welder’s point of view. The camera is connected wirelessly to two large screens so all students can view the demonstrations.

During Monday’s shop sessions, the instructors engaged with the students, quizzed them on their knowledge of blue-collar trades, and challenged them to show off some of their own skills.

“We demonstrate welding on these tours, because that’s what we know,” Barkley said. “But we promote electricians, HVAC, machinists, plumbers — everything. We need skilled trade workers for the health and wealth of the nation.”

Power Technical Principal LeErica Warren said the Blue Collar Tour’s message aligns perfectly with her school’s mission, which is to educate and train the next generation of skilled workers.

“They look at schools that are focusing on trades and are making an impact in the community,” Warren said. “So the fact that they wanted us on their tour is fantastic.”

The visit made a real impression on students like Ethan Hubbert, who got to participate in a welding demonstration.

“They’re amazing,” Hubbert said of the Tour professionals. “I really felt inspired, and I think a lot of other students did too.”

“The kids were very intrigued, and they got to learn a lot,” Warren said. “For (the Western Welding Academy) it’s not just about selling their school. It’s about creating a future for our students and getting them excited about the trades.”

The Blue Collar Tour will wrap up its fourth year with visits to Severance, Colo. (weather permitting) and Heber City, Utah, before heading to the welding academy’s home base in Gillette, Wyo.

“If we can get young people’s attention with events like this, we can inspire them to start thinking about a career in the trades,” Barkley said. “And it’s important. We need them.”

“I hope the tour showed our kids that there are benefits to being able to work with your hands, and that it can be fun,” Warren said.

“Even if some of our kids don’t go into the trades, they’ll be able to install a new ceiling fan and make it work, or fix something that breaks without having to pay someone else to do it. To me, that’s also a win.”