Touch a Trade: Inspiring The Next Generation Workforce

On October 22, 2022 we held the inaugural Touch A Trade event in Kent, CT. The goal of this event was to introduce pre-teen and teenage children to various trades via hands-on experiences. This first event attracted nearly 500 participants, exceeding projected attendance and demonstrating the value of similar future events. This session will focus on our planning process, outcomes, and feedback from presenters and visitors alike, and appraise the value of the Touch a Trade event as a viable workforce development strategy to be scaled in other communities.

Session Speaker(s): 

Session Chair(s): 

Event Time: 

Wednesday, March 29, 2023 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Room / Location:
Marina 3-4

CEU Information: 

Approved for 1 credit hour toward AIA (LU), BOC, BPI, and NARI certification. Credit is offered for each full conference day toward MA CSL, PHI, Phius, and RESNET certification.

Learning Objectives:

  • Appraise the value of the Touch a Trade event as a viable workforce development strategy
  • Identify aspects of workforce development likely to promote inclusion and equity
  • Assess the applicability of the program to other communities, and what would need to change for such implementation
  • Explore the potential for cooperation between different workforce development initiatives

Session ID: 

BOS23-602

Session Documents: