Free program hopes to set up Twin Cities students for success, jumpstart careers
LITTLE CANADA, Minn. -- A new partnership is allowing Twin Cities high school students to get a jump start on their careers. The Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest is offering the free program that not only tries to boost employment in the trades industry but also set students on a path to success.
"I felt like going to college wasn't a right fit for me," 17-year-old Jordan Whiting said.
Whiting hopes to enter the workforce right after she graduates.
"I realized carpentry is an interest to me because I love the foundation of things and feel like building something," she said.
She's among the first class of students enrolled in a new program at the Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest.
"It's really exciting. We can take a young person from high school all the way to a two-year degree with no cost to them or their family, they earn while they learn, it really is a fantastic opportunity," Director of Academic Education John Burcaw said.
Partnering with 15 metro area high schools so far, accepted students will receive credit and transportation to class where they will learn trades crafts inside the 50,000-square-foot facility.
"They get graded on their communication, and how they work together and the quality of their work," CTE Instructor Philip O'Neill said.
Students will also learn financial literacy and employability.
"They will create a resume, write a cover letter, we'll teach them how to interview well, and then they will interview with hiring employers," Burcaw said.
To help keep students on track to graduation, licensed behavioral health professionals will provide mental health support and counseling. The goal of the program is to empower first-generation students, low-income students, and students of color to get a head start on lucrative careers in the building trades before they enter the workforce, Burcaw said.
"They will be providing counseling, crisis intervention, education and student outreach," Burcaw said.
They are still accepting more students for this upcoming semester which starts on Jan. 24.
