Watts welcomed plumbing students from Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School to its North Andover facility on Oct. 7 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Watts Works Learning Center and highlight the opportunities available through careers in the skilled trades.

The event gave students a firsthand look at the Learning Center and the role training and hands-on experience play throughout a career in plumbing. Students toured the facility and heard directly from Watts leadership, with the company’s CEO and COO joining the group to welcome them and speak about the importance of the next generation entering the trades.

Throughout the visit, students participated in presentations focused on why plumbing can offer a rewarding career path, the importance of backflow prevention, and more. The presentations were followed by an interactive demonstration that put their skills to the test. Students worked hands-on with backflow preventers, disassembling and reassembling the products to gain practical experience with equipment used in the plumbing industry.

The day also included an interactive quiz, with prizes for students, giving them another opportunity to test what they had learned and engage with the Watts team.

For the past decade, the Watts Works Learning Center has served as a hub for education and hands-on training. Bringing students into the facility for the anniversary celebration provided an opportunity not only to recognize that milestone, but also to introduce future tradespeople to the industry and give them a closer look at where a career in plumbing can take them.

As part of its continued investment in trade education, Watts also announced it will donate Haws hydration stations and a Powers IntelliStation 2 digital mixing valve to Essex Tech in which the plumbing students will have the opportunity to install the equipment on their own campus with supervision.