Welcome to Maui Trades Academy

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Project Overview: Maui Trades Academy

The Maui Trades Academy is an apprenticeship program designed to pair high school students with local trade professionals, giving them the opportunity to earn while they learn. We recognize that not every student finds fulfillment in a traditional classroom setting. Some thrive through hands-on experiences—working in environments that are challenging, meaningful, and rewarding.

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Through partnerships with local schools and mental health and wellness organizations, we’ll identify students who would benefit most from this kind of engagement. Students will begin working after school or on weekends, learning real-world trade skills in fields such as plumbing, carpentry, electrical, diesel mechanics, HVAC, welding, excavation, cement work, roofing, and more. If it’s a great fit, the student will be offered a full-time position after graduation.

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This initiative is about much more than job training—it’s about mental health, purpose, and community. Many of our youth report feelings of depression, disconnection, and anxiety, often because they lack a meaningful connection to their community. The Maui Trades Academy will give them that connection—not just to a skill or paycheck, but to a network of mentors, role models, and like-minded peers.

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The mental wellness component is intentional. We’re working closely with behavioral health partners to identify students who may be struggling and who would thrive with structured, productive, and validating work. Giving kids something to be proud of—a skill they’ve earned, a paycheck they’ve worked for—can be transformative.

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In addition, this program aims to address one of Maui’s most pressing challenges: the outmigration of young talent. Many of our youth plan to leave the island after graduation due to a perceived lack of opportunity. But when we provide clear, rewarding career paths that anchor them to Maui, we give them a reason to stay—and to contribute to rebuilding and sustaining our communities.

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Our long-term vision includes entrepreneurship and economic development. Many trades naturally lead to self-employment opportunities. That’s why the Maui Trades Academy will also offer small business development training for graduates who want to take their skills and launch their own companies. These young entrepreneurs will one day create jobs for others, further strengthening the local economy.

Impact

Maui Trades Academy offers our youth more than just a job—it offers a future. It offers confidence, stability, connection, and pride. It empowers the next generation to literally and figuratively rebuild Maui, create a legacy, and find fulfillment in a life of purpose and contribution.

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