YouthBuild Boston is celebrating Careers in Construction Month (CICM) this October, along with the National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER), Build Your Future (BYF), and many other companies and organizations across the country. While construction careers offer job satisfaction, lucrative salaries and high demand, the industry is facing a critical shortage of workers. To help address this shortage, 32 states have filed an official proclamation request under the NCCER and BYF campaign to increase public awareness of career paths in construction, inspire the next generation of craft professionals, and make an impact on perceptions of the industry during the month of October.

To close out the first week of Careers in Construction Month, YouthBuild Boston is highlighting our most recent cohort of students who have recently matriculated into the Building Trades Exploration Program. Last week, 7 students joined us for 'Rites of Passage', the ceremony that marks the completion of Mental Toughness Orientation and acknowledges those young people who meet the requirements needed to formally join YouthBuild Boston. The matriculating students are presented with certificates and a complete set of tools so that they are fully prepared for the jobsite where they will be training for the next several months. Our Building Trades Exploration students participate alongside other students, vocational instructors, and industry partners to explore various careers in construction and receive hands-on carpentry training on real building sites across the city. Congratulations to these young people who have taken their first step on the path to a career in construction!