Fired Up Podcast: A Trade Collective Production
Fired Up Podcast: A Trade Collective Production
Welcome to the Fired Up Podcast, a local production focused on the Evanston community and the approximately 10 mile radius surrounding it. This show is a dedicated space for the conversations that matter most to our local students, families and businesses. We are exploring how to bridge the gap between high school education and the high paying, dignified careers waiting in the skilled trades.
For too long, our community has looked elsewhere for talent while our own students navigated uncertain paths after graduation. We are here to change that narrative. Hosted by Patrick Hughes and Dr. Pete Bavis, this podcast brings together parents, industry leaders, and educators to explore what it actually means to be trade ready in the modern workforce.
What to expect on the show:
- Industry Insights: We sit down with local experts in manufacturing, automotive, plumbing, and other sectors to understand the real world demand right here in our own backyard.
- Educational Reform: We discuss the two pieces of paper vision, which emphasizes the power of a high school diploma paired with a professional credential to create immediate career security.
- Community Connection: We share stories from the shop floor and the classroom, highlighting the spark that happens when a student discovers a passion for building and creating.
- Candid Conversations: These are sincere discussions about how we can better support our youth and strengthen our local economy through direct industry exposure.
Meet Your Hosts:
- Patrick Hughes: The Founder and Chief Connector of The Trade Collective. Patrick is an Evanston entrepreneur and advocate who has spent decades building inclusive partnerships through organizations like Natural Ties and Inclusion Solutions.
- Dr. Pete Bavis: The Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction at Evanston Township High School. A veteran educator with over 16 years of leadership, Pete is a champion for academic rigor and ensuring every student has access to a successful pathway.
Whether you are a parent looking for options for your child, an employer searching for your next great hire, or a neighbor invested in seeing Evanston thrive, it is time to listen in.
New episodes drop every other Tuesday.
Join the movement:
- Website: thetradecollective.org
- Social Media: @The Trade Collective
Igniting the future of the skilled trades. Let's get fired up!
Fired Up Podcast: A Trade Collective Production
Latest Episodes
Fired Up Podcast Ep.14 | Never Held a Pipe Wrench: Sam Gordon and Robyn Gabel
Fired Up has never had a guest introduced by his mother-in-law...or had the privilege of speaking to the Illinois House Majority Leader. Sam Gordon started his own HVAC company four months before this conversation. His mother-in-law is ...
Fired Up Podcast Ep.13 | Putting the STEAMe in Our Engines to Inspire and Connect Our Youth
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 mis...
Fired Up Podcast Ep.12 | 22 High Schools, A Shared Tech Campus, and What "Trade-Ready" Really Means
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 episod...
Fired Up Podcast Ep. 11 | A Path to More Than Cutting Grass
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...
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 ...