Fired Up Podcast Ep.10 | Building From the Ground Up: Two Young Carpenters take on Ryan Field

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