Every November, ETHS reports to the school board on their new graduates' next steps. The students who enroll in a traditional 2- or 4-year college program get counted precisely; the 25 percent of students who don’t choose a college path get missed. The answer given for these students has been that there isn’t a way to track their paths. Until now. 

Welcome to Episode 13 of the Fired Up Podcast, a production of The Trade Collective. On this episode, hosts Dr. Pete Bavis and Patrick Hughes sit down with Rachel Kohler and Dr. Nichole Pinkard to discuss a system to track workforce development and training to career opportunities called STEAMe. 

STEAMe is being built to track an ETHS graduate’s progress toward career  opportunities on the local level. Those students who do not choose a traditional college path will no longer fall through the cracks. They will be caught by STEAMe.

Rachel Kohler and Dr. Nichole Pinkard talk to The Trade Collective about where these young people end up and who is helping them find a career path. The work is funded by The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Family Foundation and anchored by Northwestern University, with The Trade Collective serving as a partner. This conversation highlights the need for the Evanston community to embrace more than one pathway to future success for young adults.

🎙️ Rachel Kohler grew up in a family business that makes toilets and sinks, and she has heard every joke about it. Her father, Herb Kohler, spent most of his life in service to the building industry, and one of his last acts was funding the Skilled Labor Fund at the National Housing Endowment, , which supports organizations like The Trade Collective. Rachel is co-founder and CEO of STEAMe, the Chicago technology company building the digital and data infrastructure for community workforce systems. Before STEAMe she was CEO and co-owner of NowPow, which reached 13 states and made 11 million social care referrals before its sale in 2021.

🎙️ Nichole Pinkard was a rising ETHS senior who had a first-hand opportunity to see how kids perceive their options during a field trip to Chicago’s south side. On the way back, someone asked the group a question she has carried ever since: would you be on this bus if you perceived your opportunities differently? She wants all of our graduates to see the thousands of opportunities that exist locally. Dr. Pinkard is the Alice Hamilton Professor of Learning Sciences at Northwestern's School of Education and Social Policy, co-founder and Chief Systems Officer at STEAMe, and president of the District 65 school board. She also co-owns Free Flow Kitchen on Simpson Street, which she describes as the Evanston Fifth Ward’s version of Cheers.

In this episode, we discuss:

🔥 What happens to ETHS graduates who do not choose the traditional college path? Who is responsible for knowing?

🔥 More than 1,300 skilled trades jobs sit within ten miles of Evanston, most of them paying $75,000 and up. What changes when a high school sophomore learns about these opportunities and is connected with the people to get them there?.

🔥 Eight out of ten certificates students earn in work-based learning don't connect to an actual job. How do you create viable programs to connect graduates to local openings?

New episodes drop every other Thursday. Igniting the future of the skilled trades. 

Let's get fired up! 🔥 Follow our journey on social media. 

Contact & Support: [email protected]

In this episode we continue the conversation about what we as a community are doing for the quarter of our students who are not heading to college and those currently in high school who want to take a more hands-on approach.

This episode goes an hour north to Grayslake, where Lake County Tech Campus has been answering that question since 1977. It is one building where 2,400 juniors and seniors from  22 high schools go every day  for 19 skilled trades programs their local schools can't run alone.

Welcome to Episode 12 of the Fired Up Podcast, a production of The Trade Collective. Hosts Dr. Pete Bavis and Patrick Hughes sit down with Dr. Sebastian Kapala and Tris O’Shaughnessy to discuss how a shared tech campus is built, funded, and kept relevant to the skilled trades.

🎙️ 𝐃𝐫. 𝐒𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐚 grew up an immigrant kid in Skokie whose teachers never expected much of him. His story has taken him much farther earning a doctorate and has been leading the Lake County Tech Campus for the past twelve years. He was recently named one of the Top 100 Education Influencers of 2025. 

🎙️ 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐎’𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐲, the Executive Director of The Trade Collective, spent 30 years in Oregon studying college and career readiness at the University of Oregon's Center for Education Policy Research before returning home to the Chicagoland area. Her aha moment came in a Lake County Tech Campus lunchroom, watching two students explain, with total confidence, what they were doing at the school and where they planned to take it. 

In this episode, we discuss:

 🔥 What "trade-ready" actually means, and where the phrase came from

 🔥 How you build a shared skilled trades campus with 22 separate high schools

 🔥 The unique career experiences students get from working in the skilled trades

New episodes drop every other Thursday. Igniting the future of the skilled trades. Let's get fired up! 🔥

Follow our journey on social media.
Contact & Support: [email protected]

Commercial landscaping has both a staffing and a perception problem.  - 600 positions are open right now within a 10 mile radius of Evanston, and most people still think the job is just cutting grass.

Episode 11 goes inside that gap. We find out what commercial landscaping actually looks like from the inside, why the industry is struggling to find people, and what a five-week course at Oakton College could mean for someone ready to get started.

Welcome to Episode 11 of the Fired Up Podcast, a production of The Trade Collective. Hosts Dr. Pete Bavis and Patrick Hughes sit down with Jamie Wallace from BrightView and Leah Kittner from Oakton College to talk commercial landscaping, workforce development, and a new Landscape Technician program where participants leave equipped for entry-level technician roles in landscape maintenance.

Meet The Guests:

🎙️ Jamie Wallace: Jamie started as an operator and spent the next 40 years working through estimating, project management, branch management, and sales in the construction and landscape industry. He now leads business development and recruiting at BrightView, the world's largest commercial landscape company, with crews working on projects across the country including SoFi Stadium and the Pentagon Memorial. He came to The Trade Collective about two years ago because the industry has a staffing problem, and he wanted to be part of solving it.

🎙️ Leah Kintner: Leah is the Senior Program Developer for Workforce and Community Education at Oakton College. She's an ETHS grad and spends her time building fast, nimble non-credit programs that connect people to industries that are actively hiring. The Landscape Technician course is one of the newest, developed in direct collaboration with BrightView after Leah and Jamie first connected at The Trade Collective.

In this episode, we discuss:

🔥 Why commercial landscaping is one of the most misunderstood fields in the skilled trades, and what the work actually looks like beyond the lawn mower

🔥 What a $468 certificate opens up, from field labor to estimating to running your own business entirely

🔥 How Oakton and BrightView built this course from scratch, and what the 10 available seats could mean for someone in the Chicagoland area right now

The Landscape Technician course starts July 8th. Space is currently available and scholarship and stipends exist.  Active recruitment is included in the course.

Register here: https://ce.oakton.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=10990448

Join the Movement: New episodes drop every other Thursday. Stay tuned and make sure you are following so you never miss an episode.

Follow our journey on social media!

Contact & Support: General Inquiries: [email protected]

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

We have talked a lot about getting the next generation into the skilled trades. This episode, you hear it straight from two young people who are doing it, on one of the biggest construction sites in the area.

Welcome to Episode 10 of the Fired Up Podcast, a production of The Trade Collective. Hosts Dr. Pete Bavis and Patrick Hughes sit down with Quintin Hamilton Jr. and Anthony Medina, two carpenter apprentices from Evanston who found their way into Local 58 through The Trade Collective.

Quintin tells his story from a scattered start after high school to writing his name on a stud inside Ryan Field. He talks about the years he spent figuring things out, the connection that finally opened the door, and what it feels like to wake up ready to go to work.

Meet The Guests:

🎙️ Quintin Hamilton Jr.: Quintin grew up in Evanston and graduated in 2020, the year of remote learning and COVID shut downs. His dad was a plumber in Local 130 and his coach growing up. After a few years of false starts, a connection through his girlfriend's mom brought him to The Trade Collective. Now he is a carpenter apprentice with Local 58, framing the hydrotherapy pools and  the family-friendly Mothers Room”at the new Ryan Field.

🎙️ Anthony Medina: Anthony is 20, grew up in Evanston, and graduated from Evanston Township High School. He ran his own junk removal business before a community connection named Genaro pointed him toward Hire360 and The Trade Collective. He got the acceptance text with the confetti, joined Local 58, and has been working on the Kellogg Building at Northwestern.

In this episode, we discuss:

🔥 How do you go from no direction after high school to a union apprenticeship and a career with benefits?
🔥 What does the job site teach a young person that a classroom never could?
🔥 What would these two say to a seventh grader, a freshman, and a parent who is not sure about this path?

Join the Movement: New episodes drop every other Thursday, and we just moved to Thursdays! Stay tuned and make sure you are following so you never miss an episode.

Follow our journey on social media!

Contact & Support: General Inquiries: [email protected]

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

We have talked a lot about getting the next generation into the skilled trades. In this episode we are thrilled to hear from a young person at the start of a promising career about his journey to Abt Electronics and what it is like to be young and finding your path into the skilled trades.

Welcome to Episode 9 of the Fired Up Podcast, a production of The Trade Collective. Hosts Dr. Pete Bavis and Patrick Hughes sit down with Stefan Johnson and Josh Eddy from Abt Electronics.

Josh tells his story from high school to connecting with Stefan Johnson and finding his place working at Abt Electronics. He breaks down why the choice to go to a traditional college wasn't working for him and how he has been able to find community, excitement, and financial stability at Abt Electronics.

Meet The Guests:

🎙️ Stefan Johnson: Stefan spent 28 years as a police officer in Glenview before joining Abt Electronics, where he now leads workforce development. Stefan went into Abt as a customer, had a conversation with the owner about a six-month project, and has been there for over nine years.

🎙️ Josh Eddy: Josh grew up in Evanston and graduated from Evanston Township High School. He had plans to go to Illinois State but life had other plans. After two years of working and figuring things out, Josh was introduced to Abt Electronics through The Trade Collective. He has been employed by Abt  for over a month.   He is getting paid to learn. He rates it 10 out of 10 and is talking about staying 20 years.

In this episode, we discuss:

🔥 How do you know that the skilled trades are right for you? What unique career experiences do you get from working in the skilled trades? How do we show students all the paths available to them?

🔥 What does it mean to get paid to learn? How does Abt Electronics certify young people in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and more while they are already working and earning a paycheck?

🔥 How do you go from feeling lost after high school to finding community, financial stability, and a career you are actually excited about?

Join the Movement: New episodes drop every other Thursday — and we just moved to Thursdays! Stay tuned and make sure you are following so you never miss an episode.

Follow our journey on social media!

Contact & Support: General Inquiries: [email protected]

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

We have talked a lot about getting the next generation into the trades so on this episode we are thrilled to hear from two young people with promising careers about their journeys and experiences into the skilled trades?

Welcome to Episode 8 of the Fired Up Podcast, a production of The Trade Collective. Hosts Dr. Pete Bavis and Patrick Hughes sit down with Tom, David, and Ewan from Ward Manufacturing to discuss what it is like to be a young person in metal stamping. 

David and Ewan tell their story from high school to finding their place working for Ward Manufacturing. They break down why the traditional college path wasn’t working for them and how they have been able to find community, excitement, and financial stability at Ward Manufacturing. 

Meet The Guest:

🎙️ Tom Ward: Tom is a third generation owner of Ward Manufacturing and is currently serving as Vice President. Tom believes in investing in young talent and the community. Tom wants the next generation to feel inspired by stories like David’s and Ewan’s to help find their direction.

🎙️David Abramson: David is extremely smart but did not like school at all. David did everything he could to just get through it. Somehow, he did learn things. (Begrudgingly, he took the ACT and scored a 31.) He had no idea what he was going to do in life. That was until he found his place at Ward Manufacturing. 

🎙️Ewan Mclean: Ewan was a fantastic student. Got very high marks in high school took AP and was college ready. Ewan started the engineering program at Colorado School of Mines, but he wanted to start working. 

In this episode, we discuss:

🔥 How do you know that the skilled trades are right for you? What do you get from working in the skilled trades that you don’t get from traditional four-year college? How do we show students all the paths available to them.

🔥 How do you add value to the workplace? How do you build a community and culture in the workplace? How do you add value to the community around you?
Join the Movement: New episodes drop every other Tuesday.

Follow our journey on social media!

Contact & Support: General Inquiries: [email protected]

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

We have talked a lot about getting interested in the trades, but what are the next steps when the interest is there? Listen to learn about what it takes to build a stable career in construction.

Welcome to Episode 7 of the Fired Up Podcast, a production of The Trade Collective. Hosts Dr. Pete Bavis and Patrick Hughes sit down with Turner Construction Company’s Geoff Moore to discuss all things construction including working on the construction team for the new Ryan Field Stadium. From construction opportunities for high schoolers to work ethic to safety, the three lay out the keys to having a successful career in construction.

Meet The Guest:

🎙️ Geoff Moore: Geoff is a vice president and construction executive for Turner Construction, currently the largest construction company in the world. He is the principal in charge of the $800 million Ryan Field Construction Project. Geoff believes that there are different paths for everyone including stable, fulfilling career paths in construction.

In this episode, we discuss:

🔥 What is the importance of teamwork in the skilled trades? A stadium is not built alone or overnight, how do you work within a construction team?

🔥 What is expected of workers in the skilled trades? Today the group discusses expectations and how to make yourself stand out in the workplace.

🔥 As a high school student, what are the first steps? Today the group discusses what certifications you can get in high school to prepare for a career in construction.

Join the Movement: New episodes drop every other Tuesday.

Follow our journey on social media. Contact & Support: General Inquiries: [email protected]

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

We have talked a lot about the potential of careers in the skilled trades. In this episode, we show you what it actually looks like.

Welcome to Episode 6 of the Fired Up Podcast, a production of The Trade Collective. Hosts Dr. Pete Bavis and Patrick Hughes sit down with two young ETHS and Trade Collective alumni, Alan Muir and Mekbib Boarini, who have launched careers in HVAC and plumbing. This is a different kind of episode. No professors, no policy. Just two young men who didn't have a clear path after high school and found their way to the Trade Collective.

Both Alan and Mekbib now have careers doing things they love as a direct effect of working with the Trade Collective. They are living proof of the Trade Collective’s mission and are ready to talk about it!

Meet The Guests:

🎙️ Alan Muir: An ETHS graduate now working at AA Service in HVAC, heating, cooling, plumbing, sewer, and electrical. Alan started in the warehouse learning the trade from the ground up, and is now out in the field working alongside experienced technicians every day.

🎙️ Mekbib Boarini: A recent ETHS graduate now working at Abt, a respected appliance and electronics company that's been serving the community since 1936. Just weeks into his first real job, Mekbib is already showing up early and loving the culture.

In this episode, we discuss:

🔥 From Graduation to the Trades: What life looked like before the Trade Collective, and how one conversation changed everything. If you could go back to your high school self, what would you tell them?

🔥 More Than You Think: Why plumbing isn't just about pipes, HVAC isn't just about filters, and how the skilled trades offer more variety and opportunity than most people realize.

🔥 AI-Proof Careers: Why the skilled trades are among the most stable career paths available, and what that means for young people making career decisions right now.

Join the Movement: New episodes drop every other Tuesday.

Follow our journey on social media.

Contact & Support: General Inquiries: [email protected]

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

Today we’re talking about the blueprint for careers in carpentry and construction.

Welcome to the fifth episode of the Fired Up Podcast, a production of The Trade Collective. In this episode, our co-hosts Dr. Pete Bavis and Patrick Hughes sit down with Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss and John Kenny Jr. of Kenny Construction to discuss career pathways in construction and local opportunities such as the new Ryan Field Stadium project at Northwestern University.

Meet The Guests:

🎙️Daniel Biss: Mayor Biss has been in public service for over a decade, as both a representative and a senator in the Illinois legislature, and now as the Mayor of Evanston. Throughout his career, he has been a champion for the community and advocate for local workers.

🎙️ John Kenny Jr.: John is the former CEO of Kenny Construction Company which has been working in the Chicagoland area for decades. He made a name for himself when he was called on by Chicago’s Mayor Daley to help stop the historic 1992 Chicago flood. He brings to the table over 30 years of construction and contracting experience.

In this episode, we discuss:

🔥 How can we create local construction jobs at the government level?
🔥 How do we make construction careers more accessible?
🔥 From a local workforce and government perspective, how can a big project, like Ryan Field, create career opportunities in the community?

Join the Movement: New episodes drop every other Tuesday. (Special episode out today!)

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: [email protected]

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

Fires are sparking in the minds of our high school students and we are here to discuss how to cradle these flames. 🔥

Evanston Cradle to Career (EC2C) works throughout Evanston to advance equity in the community. EC2C is a collective impact initiative that brings together over 40 partner organizations and 150 community members to create a more fair and equitable community. Their primary goal is to ensure that all youth in Evanston have the resources and opportunities to lead healthy, productive, and satisfying lives by the time they reach age 23.

In the third full episode of the Fired Up Podcast, a production of The Trade Collective, our hosts Dr. Pete Bavis and Patrick Hughes sit down with Kimberly Holmes-Ross and Baxter Swilley to discuss their work with EC2C. This episode digs into how we can support students in education and career paths while recognizing the structural inequities in our communities. They also discuss how we can holistically support students from classrooms to careers.

Meet The Guests:

🎙️Kimberly Holmes-Ross has been working in social services for over 25 years. This experience includes her current work with Evanston Cradle to Career where she is currently the Executive Director. Kimberly strongly believes in fighting inequalities by uplifting less often heard voices through community support.

🎙️ Baxter Swilley has a background in political and corporate in communications. He is currently working as the communications manager for Evanston Cradle to Career. Baxter believes in communicating with the community to discuss and combat inequity.

In this episode, we discuss:

🔥What are the goals of EC2C and how do they support students?

🔥What is collective impact? How do we exponentially grow the impact of our collaborations? How does this translate into the skilled trades workforce?

🔥How do we open conversations about race both within our communities and when helping students work towards career opportunities? 

🔥How do we expand our image of who belongs in 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: [email protected]

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