Explore The Trades

Now Live! 🎉 Kate Cinnamo, Executive Director of Explore The Trades, recently joined @womeninhvacr for their “Behind the Title” webinar series. In this conversation, Kate shares how leadership, passion, and purpose are shaping the future of the skilled trades—and why expanding access to these career pathways matters now more than ever. ✨ From reaching thousands of schools to connecting students with meaningful careers, the impact is real. 🎥 Tap the link in our bio to watch the full webinar! #WomenInHVACR #ExploreTheTrades #SkilledTrades

This September, Explore The Trades is helping close out @nexstar_network 's Super Meeting 2026 with a powerful mainstage panel focused on the future of the skilled trades. 🎤 Facilitated by John C. Maxwell, this conversation brings together leaders who are shaping what’s next for our industry: ✔️@mrjarrett_constructiontech , Construction Trades Instructor, Mayfair School ✔️Judaline Cassidy, Founder of @tools_n_tiaras and member of Plumbers Local Union No. 1 ✔️@andrewbrowntrades , Founder of Trades Media, Host of 'The Lost Art of the Skilled Trades' podcast and Explore The Trades Board Trustee 📅 Friday, Sept. 18 ⏰ 8:30 AM–12 PM CST 📍 Super Meeting Mainstage We’re excited to support conversations around leadership, workforce development, and opportunity in the trades. 🔗 Register via the link in our bio. #ExploreTheTrades #LeadingTheTrades #SkilledTrades

What an incredible trip to New Jersey! ✨ We had the opportunity to visit three amazing schools participating in the "Explore The Trades Skills Lab, Built by Ferguson" program: 🔧 West Orange High School, @woschools 🔧 Toms River High School South, @tomsriverregionalschools , @hs_south_tr 🔧 Cape May County Technical School, @cmthawks Thank you for welcoming our team and showing how you’re bringing skilled trades education to life. It's so inspiring to see these programs in action! 🙌 Special thanks to @fergusonenterprises , the founding partner of this program, for helping make these opportunities possible. 👏 📸 West Orange (1–3) | Toms River (4–5) | Cape May (6–7) | + a little Atlantic Ocean moment to wrap it up. 🌊 Stay tuned—more photos & videos from our visit coming soon! #ExploreTheTrades #SkilledTrades #Ferguson #NewJerseySchools

📣 New Trades Talk is here! The latest newsletter from Explore The Trades is now live. 🙌 Inside this issue: 🔧 Skills Lab grants awarded to 18 schools 🤝 Tools to help contractors partner with local CTE programs 🎣 Highlights from our Fishing Fundraiser 🎉 A look back at National Apprenticeship Week outreach See how we’re building awareness and opportunity in the skilled trades. 👉 Read the full newsletter with the link in our bio! #ExploreTheTrades #SkilledTrades #CTE #CareerExplore

🎣 What a “reel” success! Huge thanks to everyone who made our Explore The Trades Fishing Fundraiser unforgettable 🙌 And a special shoutout to our event sponsor, @up.smith , for their incredible support in helping us inspire the next generation of skilled trades professionals 🔧⚡️ Because of you, we’re making waves in closing the talent gap 💙 Want to learn more or get involved? Tap the link in our bio! #ExploreTheTrades #SkilledTrades #WorkforceDevelopment #ThankYou

Different trades require different strengths—and you might already have what it takes. 🔧⚡❄️ 🎥 Watch to see which traits match plumbing, HVAC, or electrical careers. 🤔 Which one sounds like you? 👉 Hit the link in our bio and take the quiz to find your fit. #SkilledTrades #CareerQuiz #FindYourFit

We’re proud to see industry leaders investing in the future of the skilled trades.💙 Explore The Trades Board of Trustees member Lara Beltz (VP, @beltzhomeservice ) recently surprised @millstreamcc with a check presentation after they were selected to receive an "Explore The Trades Skills Lab, Built by @fergusonenterprises " equipment grant! 🎉 This support helps expand hands-on training opportunities for students pursuing careers in the trades. 🔧 📸 Photo 1 (left to right): Daniel Fanzo, Senior Sales Manager, Ferguson Ben Bergeth, Customer Service & Sales Support, Ferguson Malachi Abbott, Construction Skills Teacher Kevin Schneidler, Construction Skills Teacher Kyle Watts, Work-Based Learning Liaison Lara Beltz, Vice President, Beltz Home Service Co. Brian Beltz, President, Beltz Home Service Co. 📸 Photo 2 (left to right): Kevin Schneidler, Construction Skills Teacher Malachi Abbott, Construction Skills Teacher Lara Beltz, Vice President, Beltz Home Service Co. Thank you to Lara and the Beltz team for supporting the next generation! 👏 #ExploreTheTrades #SkilledTrades #WorkforceDevelopment #CTE

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! 🎉 We’re proud to celebrate the 2026 "Explore The Trades Skills Lab, Built by Ferguson" grant recipients—announced in honor of National Skilled Trades Day! This year brought record-breaking interest from schools nationwide, underscoring the growing momentum behind career & technical education. From a highly competitive pool, 18 schools were selected to receive a Skills Lab grant—reaching 2,100+ students this year alone. To date, the Skills Lab program has impacted more than 5,500 students nationwide with hands-on access to skilled trades education. 👏 Congratulations to our 2025–2026 recipients: 🔧 Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education in @milwaukeemps — HVAC | Milwaukee, WI 🔧 cctsnj — Plumbing | Sicklerville, NJ 🔧 @delsearegional High School — Plumbing | Franklinville, NJ 🔧 @eastorangecampusofficial — Plumbing | East Orange, NJ 🔧 @ghsdules — HVAC | Gloucester, VA 🔧 @hcpolytech - North Campus — Plumbing | Flemington, NJ 🔧 La Center High School — Plumbing | La Center, WA 🔧 @lafollettehighschool — Plumbing | Madison, WI 🔧 @millstreamcc — Plumbing | Findlay, OH 🔧 @nhrecvirginia — Plumbing | Newport News, VA 🔧 @916careertech — HVAC | White Bear Lake, MN 🔧 Northwestern Area School District (@nw_journalism ) — Plumbing/HVAC | Mellette, SD 🔧 Patchogue-Medford High School in @patmedschools — Plumbing | Medford, NY 🔧 Pennsauken High School in @pennsaukenschools — HVAC | Pennsauken, NJ 🔧 Pinelands Regional High School — Plumbing | Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ 🔧 Stafford Intermediate School in @staffordschools — Plumbing/HVAC | Manahawkin, NJ 🔧 Thornapple Kellogg High School in @thornapplekelloggschools — Plumbing | Middleville, MI 🔧 Western Suffolk BOCES - @wilson_tech — HVAC | Dix Hills, NY 💙 Huge thanks to our founding partner @fergusonenterprises and our in-kind partner @skillcatapp for helping equip the next generation of skilled trades professionals. 👉 See the full list of Skills Lab grant recipients at the link in our bio! #SkilledTradesDay #CTEWorks #SkillsLab #HandsOnLearning

📸 Last week during National Apprenticeship Week, we had the opportunity to connect with students at Halifax County High School, thanks to our host @theialr . Rosa Dunn, Connections Coordinator at Explore The Trades, was joined by outstanding industry leaders to share real‑world career pathways in the skilled trades: 👷 Mark Gosney, Piping Division Manager, @csusamidatlantic 🎓 Natori Neal, M.S., Apprenticeship Coordinator II, Institute for Advanced Learning & Research ⚡ Jenny Spitzer, Vice President, Spitzer Electric Together, they highlighted how apprenticeships provide hands‑on learning, strong earning potential, and long‑term career stability—often right in students’ own communities. We’re proud to support opportunities that help young people explore what’s possible for their future. #NationalApprenticeshipWeek #Apprenticeships #CareerExploration

Students often ask, “How does school connect to real careers?” 🤔 This National Apprenticeship Week, we’re highlighting resources in our career co-kit, created in partnership with @nccer , that help answer that question clearly and confidently. 📘 Explore The Trades' "From School to the Skilled Trades" handouts shows students how their high school classes prepare them for careers in the trades 📍 NCCER’s CareerStarter helps them take the next step—toward training, apprenticeships, and employment Together, these tools help educators guide students from understanding why the trades matter to knowing what to do next. 🔗 Download the career co-kit with the link in our bio! #NationalApprenticeshipWeek #ApprenticeshipsWork #CTE

Looking for better ways to talk about careers in the skilled trades? 👷‍♀️🔧 Our career co-kit, created in partnership with @nccer , gives educators and school counselors the tools they need to guide meaningful career conversations: ✨ Practical guidance for workforce networking and engagement ✨ Career path posters that clearly show how apprenticeships lead to long-term careers Perfect for classrooms, counseling offices, and career fairs—just in time for National Apprenticeship Week. 🔗Download the co-kit with the link in our bio! #NationalApprenticeshipWeek #CTE #EducatorResources

🎥 Ever heard of the apprentice → journeyman → master career path? This clip breaks down how careers in the trades are built—step by step—through hands-on learning and real-world experience. We’re celebrating National Apprenticeship Week by highlighting where this path can take you. 👉 Learn more about careers in the trades at the link in our bio. #NationalApprenticeshipWeek #SkilledTrades