New Community Collaboration Drives Youth in the Trades

BOSTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / September 29, 2026 / The construction and trades industries face a defining challenge: a workforce that is aging and retiring faster than it can be replaced. Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston (BGCB) and the Rising Stars Program launched Trade Trailblazers this summer, bringing together BGCB’s youth development and workforce readiness expertise with Rising Stars’ industry connections to help Boston teens explore pathways into the union trades.

The seven-week pre-apprenticeship program introduces 17- and 18-year-olds to 15 union trades through hands-on training, safety certification and career exploration.

“The skilled labor shortage is a nationally known problem,” said David Hutchinson, Executive Director of the Rising Stars Program. “We are excited to launch Trade Trailblazers with Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, creating a program that is mutually beneficial to both our inspired youth and an eager industry.”

The curriculum began at Madison Park Vocational High School, where participants engaged in sessions on technical education, financial literacy, career readiness and long-term success in the trades. The students completed OSHA 10 training and the Hot Work certification, led by Madison Park’s CTE team, with additional workshops 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.”

Trade Trailblazers prioritizes union-driven connections rather than classroom instruction alone. Each union leads interactive workshops that expose young people to the work, culture, and community of the trade, providing the opportunity to explore and compare which routes align with their strengths. The program also includes a one-week Clean Energy Bootcamp delivered by Franklin Cummings Tech that provides 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 are equipped with industry-recognized safety certifications, hands-on exposure across 15 trades, and an individualized career roadmap. For unions and construction employers, Trade Trailblazers develops a pipeline of young people who are better prepared to begin apprenticeships. For participants, it offers a concrete first step toward a career, professional credential, and a future they have chosen for themselves.

Fourteen young people completed the inaugural Trade Trailblazers program in 2026, and plans are underway to welcome 20 participants in 2027. The Rising Stars Program and Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston are currently seeking additional funding to grow their 2027 Trade Trailblazers program, including more wrap-around support for the youth participants and deeper connections with union partners.

For more information, contact David Hutchinson at dbhutchinson@tremcoinc.com or Dean Tsouvalas with BGCB at dtsouvalas@bgcb.org

You can watch the 2026 program in action here: https://youtu.be/Ok37RiIUEqk?si=NVup9WCT0cHWxLEV

SOURCE: Rising Stars Program

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

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