Congratulations to YouthBuild Boston's New Pre-Apprentice Students

Last week, our new cohort of Pre-Apprentice students had their Rites of Passage Ceremony after completing 3-weeks of intensive Mental Toughness Orientation.

During the first week of Mental Toughness, students were acclimated to the culture of YouthBuild Boston under the direction of our Pre-Apprentice Program Manager. They learned about the expectations YouthBuild Boston requires of them and how those expectations relate to the carpentry industry. The students also engaged in team building exercises to hone in on the importance of working together and how that will translate when in the field. The students were also informed of their eligibility to join AmeriCorps and earn a $1,600 Segal Education Award that can be used towards college or other training programs.

In week two, the students focused on earning industry credentials. They took two 5-hour OSHA classes under the instruction of YouthBuild Boston’s Vocational Instructor. We are happy to report all of the students passed OSHA on the first try and received their OSHA-10 certification. With support from the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department our students received First Aid CPR certification under the instruction of Lieutenant Sean Clark. These two industry credentials allow our students to safely work on construction sites. In the final week of Mental Toughness Orientation, students participated in Skill Building workshops conducted by YouthBuild Boston’s Construction Manager. They focused on learning hand and power tool proficiency, lumber identification, introduction to blueprint reading, introduction to framing and ergonomics.

We are so proud of these young, talented men and women! Now in their first official week in the field, the students are working on a renovation project for our Designery building to create a collaborative space for YouthBuild Boston’s programs.

We are proud to be part of their journey into the carpentry industry!