Something has sparked at 1910 Greenwood, and we’re ready to talk about it.

Welcome to the first full episode of the Fired Up Podcast, a production of The Trade Collective. This show is for students and families navigating post-secondary plans, industry professionals looking at their workforce pipelines, and everyone invested in students having a clear path to a high-paying career.

In this debut episode, our co-hosts sit down to discuss why being "Trade Ready" is a game-changer for our community. We explore how to bridge the gap between high school education and the high-paying, dignified careers waiting in the skilled trades within a 10-mile radius of Evanston.

Meet Your Hosts:

🎙️ Patrick Hughes (Patrick): Our Founder and "Chief Connector." An Evanston entrepreneur who has spent his life advocating for inclusion and creating organizations like Natural Ties and Inclusion Solutions that break down barriers.

🎙️ Dr. Pete Bavis (Pete): The Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction at ETHS. With over 16 years at the high school, Pete is a champion for academic pathways and has spent his career ensuring that access and opportunity are available to every student.

In this episode, we discuss:

🔥 The "Two Pieces of Paper" Vision: Patrick and Pete dig into how a high school diploma paired
with a professional credential can change a student’s life.
🔥 The Local Bricklayer Problem: Why local projects currently import skilled labor from out of state and how we can work to fill those roles with our own graduates.
🔥 The 930 Job Opportunity: Exploring the real labor needs and high demand within a 10-mile radius of Evanston.
🔥 What it Means to be "Trade Ready": How industry exposure can ignite a student's passion for building and creating and what a student needs to know before entering the skilled trades.

Join the Movement: New episodes drop every other Tuesday.

Review the full vision and follow our journey on social media:

Website: https://www.thetradecollective.org/
Instagram: @the_trade_collective
Threads: @the_trade_collective
Facebook: The Trade Collective
LinkedIn: The Trade Collective

Contact & Support:
General Inquiries: info@thetradecollective.org

Igniting the future of the skilled trades. Let's get fired up! 🔥