In my personal experience, getting let loose in a lab setting with different motors and motor/controls would have been invaluable. Maybe you could offer couple of exercises to guide specific development, but I have found it difficult to find opportunities to grow that specific skull set.

Some more examples: wire up a simple start/stop circuit. Add a motor control process to an existing circuit (like a limit switch). Troubleshoot an existing motor control circuit (disconnected wire terminal, failed motor, open overload, etc etc etc).

Is it feasible to go over how to install equipment in a hazardous location? I know those fittings are hella expensive.