Catching Up With Explore The Trades

There’s a lot of great work happening over at Explore The Trades (ETT) this summer! The all-star ETT team is always focused on bridging the gap between today’s youth and a bright future in the skilled trades.

Back-to-school season seemed like the perfect time to catch up with Executive Director Kate Cinnamo to learn what’s new and hear more about what ETT’s been up to. Here’s how Explore The Trades is fueling the momentum toward prosperous careers in the Plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical industries:

Q: It’s been a busy summer for the Explore The Trades team. How are you all holding up?
A: It’s been busy, but it’s the best kind of busy. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Q: One might think that summer would be a slower season for ETT, but that’s obviously not the case. What types of outreach initiatives has the team been involved in?
A: Summer is one of our busiest seasons, as we take this time to work with schools around the country. Since we announced our recent Skills Lab grant recipients in May, the team has been working with each of the 12 schools to procure plumbing and HVAC equipment for their students. We expect that each of the school labs will be set up and ready to go by the end of August for the school year. (I imagine that the students will be excited to see the brand new, shiny equipment on their first day of school!)

Additionally, our team has traveled to both the SkillsUSA and ASCA (American School Counselor Association) national conferences. The ASCA event, which was attended by 5,000+ elementary, middle, and high school counselors from around the country, offers ETT face-to-face time with counselors, so we can talk about the importance of trades awareness and education. This has been our fourth year at the conference, and, without a doubt, this has been the most receptive and proactive experience we’ve had yet – the topic of the skilled trades is definitely starting to take up space in education and we’re excited to be a part of it.

Q: We heard rave reviews about SkillsUSA. Is this an annual stop on your trade show tour? If so, what’s the reason for maintaining an Explore The Trades presence there?
A: SkillsUSA is definitely on the tour! For those who aren’t familiar with SkillsUSA, I believe the organization to be one of the best-kept secrets in technical education and leadership in the country. Providing technical training and leadership skills in 100+ vocations to high school students around the country, SkillsUSA is a great environment to foster interest in hands-on careers. Explore The Trades connects with educators, students, and industry vendors while at the conference. For those PHCE businesses hiring talent, I’d highly encourage them to connect with their state and local chapters. Students involved with SkillsUSA are highly skilled by the time they graduate high school, so leveraging connections with the chapters is a great way to recruit.

Q: We read on LinkedIn that your ETT poster kits are in 13.9% of public-school districts across the U.S. That’s impressive! How did these materials become so popular?
A: We began the poster kit initiative in 2021 – the idea was to promote the PHCE trades to teachers and school counselors. The initiative has become, perhaps, the most popular tool we offer. I think there are a couple of reasons for that. First of all, the kits are free to request. Explore The Trades uses donations to provide these kits for free because school budgets are often limited. We want to ensure the information is getting where it’s needed most.

Secondly, the posters provide a graphic description of what a career in the trades can become. At a glance, students can see the potential that lies within the PHCE trades.

Our goal is to have ETT resources in 18% of public-school districts by the end of 2024. We feel optimistic that we’ll hit the mark!

Q: That’s fantastic! Can anyone request a poster kit? How would someone go about doing so? Is there a cost?
A: Poster kits may be requested on our website at https://explorethetrades.org/parents-and-educators/.

Q: Are there other resources for promoting careers in the trades that parents/teachers/counselors should be aware of?
A: For those looking to raise awareness about the trades in their schools, I always encourage schools to find a home service company in their community and give them a call. A partnership between industry and education can really jumpstart interest in the trades – especially if students can see exactly what these careers are all about. And for those home service companies who may receive a call to talk about the trades to students, always say yes! If you’re looking for materials to share, give our team a call and we’d be happy to help.

Q: You and the ETT team are working on a lot of cool initiatives heading into the fall, and even looking ahead to 2025. Anything you’d like to preview?
A: Most definitely! Aligned with the content that currently exists on our website, we’re looking forward to the public launch of two new collections of resources. The first is a series of digital downloads for kids ages five to 11 (think kindergarten through fifth grade). We’ve partnered with an artist to create illustrations of how the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical trades work inside of a home. Highlighting various equipment, the downloads will visually introduce the trades to elementary students.

The second series of content we’re working on are Spanish-translated versions of our popular career path materials. Knowing that the population of Spanish-speaking students is steadily increasing around the country, we want to ensure they have access to materials that will provide them with a solid understanding of the trades.

Keep an eye on Explore The Trades’ social media channels – LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube – for details related to the launch of these materials!

Q: Any closing thoughts/reminders?
A: Before we end our conversation, I want to share a special note of gratitude to our Board of Trustees. I have the privilege of working directly with the board, and it’s a joy to work with people who truly love the industry, support the work of our staff, and help shape the direction of the organization to ensure our mission is at the center of our work.

And finally, I believe that bringing trades education back into schools is one of the most important items the industry can tackle in the next few years. In local markets throughout the country, there’s so much opportunity for industry and education to partner and bring workforce readiness to the next generation, which deserves more options than the “one size fits all” college approach.