The construction and trades industries face a defining challenge: a skilled workforce aging and retiring faster than it can be replaced. Trade Trailblazers is designed to help build the next generation of skilled talent.
This summer, Rising Stars and Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston partnered on Trade Trailblazers, a seven-week pre-apprenticeship program that introduces 17- and 18-year-olds to 15 union trades through hands-on technical training, safety certification, career exploration, and direct engagement with trade professionals.
“The labor and skilled trade shortage is a nationally known problem” said David Hutchinson, Executive Director of the Rising Stars Program. “The partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, not only focuses to introduce young people to careers within the trades but equally engages with 15 unions to and help generate their enthusiasm and support for this next generation entering their ranks. We are excited to launch a program that is mutually beneficial to both our inspired youth and an eager industry.”
The program began with six days at Madison Park Vocational High School, where participants took part in career and technical education training, industry certification, financial literacy instruction, teamwork development, safety workshops, and guest speaker sessions focused on career readiness and long-term success in the trades.
During the Madison Park portion of the program, students completed three days of OSHA 10 training and one day of Hotworks safety certification, while also participating in workshops focused on financial literacy, teamwork, safety, and career readiness. The certification training was led by Madison Park’s CTE team, with additional workshops and activities facilitated by Matt “PK” Power-Koch, Trades Pathway Director for Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston.
“Every day, I watch these young people take on something new and surprise themselves with what they can do,” said Power-Koch. “That moment, when someone picks up a tool or learns a skill and thinks, ‘I could do this,’ is what Trade Trailblazers is built around. These young people are not just learning a trade. They are building a future.”
Unlike many pre-apprenticeship programs, Trade Trailblazers starts with union-led exposure rather than classroom instruction alone. Each participating union leads interactive workshops that give young people direct exposure to the work, culture, and community of each trade. Participants do not just observe. They explore, compare, and choose which pathways align with their interests and strengths.
The program also includes a one-week Clean Energy Bootcamp delivered by Franklin Cummings Tech. Participants gain foundational knowledge in one of the region’s fastest-growing sectors. Every participant also completes a Trade Trailblazers career-mapping capstone, a personalized document that connects their interests to specific trades, identifies next steps, and outlines a clear pathway toward further training or direct apprenticeship placement.
By the end of the program, participants leave with industry-recognized safety certifications, hands-on exposure across 15 trades, and a personalized roadmap for what comes next.
At its core, Trade Trailblazers is about helping young people see themselves in the trades and giving them the tools to begin choosing their own path.
For local unions and construction employers, Trade Trailblazers builds exactly what the industry needs: a pipeline of certified, trade-exposed young people better prepared to pursue apprenticeship. For young people, it is a concrete first step toward a skilled career, a professional credential, and a future they have chosen for themselves.
