All Experiences Required
Fabricio Perez and Kyli Carroll learn carpentry skills at the 2023 Ready-to-Work Skilled Trades, Marine & Manufacturing Boot Camp. CHRIS KRUEGER/PROJECT LIFT PHOTOS
Boot camp in skilled trades gives young people a solid foundation
PALM CITY – The Treasure Coast Builders Association, aided by dozens of mentors and sponsors, graduated 52 young men and women from the 2023 Ready-to-Work Skilled Trades, Marine & Manufacturing Boot Camp this summer at Project L.I.F.T.’s facilities in Palm City.
The hands-on, five-day program included introductory instruction in demolition, small equipment maintenance and repair, HVAC, turf, drafting and design, automotive, plumbing, masonry, marine carpentry, surveying, welding, window/door carpentry, electrical, roofing, marine motors, metal-building fabrication and garage-door repair. The participants were also tutored in business soft skills and financial literacy.
“I learned a lot about 16 different trades and what they do,” said Grady Pierce, 19. “It was a really good opportunity to express ourselves, find our passion and what we want to do for the rest of our lives. They also taught us how to do [job] interviews and how to present ourselves.”
Most attendees were between the ages of 17 and 22, many of them recent high school graduates exploring career options in the trades. The boot camp participants were paid $15 per hour during training from a grant made available through Project L.I.F.T.
Victoria Burgos, 18, found her passion at the boot camp; she’s signing up for the Chapman School of Seamanship’s Yahama Marine Maintenance Certification Program. “A lot of people are not interested in college. There’s a stereotype that the only way to be successful is by going to college,” she said, adding that the camp helped her learn to explore other options, as she plans to work before considering college.
Immediately following graduation ceremonies, 15 local employers interviewed participants for open positions at their companies. Christy Romano of AApex Electric said she had two current openings and was interested in at least four participants for the positions. She hired one and said she will be interviewing others. “These kids are eager to learn and that’s what we are looking for,” she said. “We can teach them how to pull wire but we can’t teach them work ethic.”
During the job fair, Romano coached participants filling out job applications. “What I want to know is what you have experience in; if you show up every day; what you like,” she explained. “It can be any experience. ‘I helped my grandpa hang lights,’ for example. Whatever experience you have. If you worked in fast food, guess what? You can work in high pressure situations.”
KeShawn Davis tries his hand at welding at the 2023 Ready-to-Work Skilled Trades, Marine & Manufacturing Boot Camp supervised by instructor David Bailey.
MONUMENTAL EFFORT
“Putting together a program of this magnitude — 52 participants, 5 days, 16 trades, soft skills training and a job fair — takes months of planning and many hands,” said Maddie Williams, TCBA director of workforce programs. “We had more than 50 volunteers, representing about two dozen companies and organizations, help out with training and logistics throughout the week. More than a dozen employers participated in the job fair on Friday and I’m aware of at least seven graduates who received job offers, so far, with many other interviews scheduled for this week.”
“This is the third year Project L.I.F.T. collaborated with the TCBA on the Skilled Trades Boot Camp,” said Project L.I.F.T. CEO Bob Zaccheo. “It’s a win-win for both our organizations, but even more so for the teens and young adults that we serve. We have the facilities and some instructors while the TCBA brings in an incredible array of mentors and dedicated volunteers who, in turn, learn more about what our organization has to offer. The 49 young men and three young women who graduated from this year’s boot camp received well-deserved opportunities for fantastic jobs.”
“In St. Lucie County, we have Cheney Bros., ACCEL, ARCOSA, and Total Truck Parts who will be hiring, at excellent wages,” said Jenn DuBey, director of business development at the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County. “As part of our promise to these companies, we work with Indian River State College and St. Lucie Public Schools to help develop the upcoming workforce. At the end of the day, we realized that manufacturers, skilled trades and the marine industry were all competing for the same employee. So, it made sense for the EDC to partner with the TCBA to expand the boot camp and provide real-life, hands-on training.”
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