T.O.O.L.S. — Trades Offer Opportunities That Lead to Success (Grades 7–12, Omaha Metro)

About This Opportunity

T.O.O.L.S. (Trades Offer Opportunities That Lead to Success) is a free, year-round career exploration program for Omaha-area students in grades 7 through 12. The program runs hands-on construction and trades career exploration activities — giving middle and high school students a real look at what a career in the skilled trades actually looks and feels like before committing to a training path. T.O.O.L.S. is a collaborative effort between the Omaha Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, the William Brennan Institute for Labor Studies at UNO, the United Way of the Midlands, and local business and apprenticeship partners. The trades workforce in Nebraska has a serious shortage — more than half of skilled-trade workers in the state are expected to retire in the coming years, and not enough young people are entering these fields. T.O.O.L.S. exists specifically to bridge that gap by connecting students with trades career information, employer contacts, and a clear picture of what registered apprenticeship means. If you are in middle or high school in the Omaha area and want to understand what building trades, construction, or a skilled-labor career actually looks like as a pathway — this program is a direct, free entry point.

Who Can Apply

Open to Omaha-metro students in grades 7–12. Free. Year-round programming with activities and events throughout the school year. Contact the Nebraska Center for Workforce Development and Education at nebraskaworkforce.org or the Omaha Federation of Labor for current event dates and how to get involved.