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
Fired Up Podcast Ep.3 | Igniting Curiosity: Finding Your "Why" Through Permission and Play
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
We are giving our youth the permission to look inward and find their internal fire.
Welcome to the third full episode of the Fired Up Podcast, a production of The Trade Collective. In this episode, our hosts, Dr. Pete Bavis and Patrick Hughes, sit down with Matthew Cummins and Rosabel “Rosie” Arellano Razo to explore how curiosity and "permission" act as the catalysts for lighting a fire in our students.
We discuss how authentic, hands-on experiences, from 3,000-degree molten iron pours to local job shadowing, can transform a student's perspective on their future. We explore the power of intergenerational mentorship and the importance of creating environments where students feel safe to ask questions and experiment with their career paths. The episode digs into how these real-world connections help high school students become Trade Ready™ by graduation.
Meet The Guests:
🎙️ Matthew Cummins: An Adjunct Lecturer at Northwestern University Segal Design Institute and an artist whose work bridges the gap between academic theory and physical fabrication. Matthew is passionate about using geometry and authentic projects to help students find their "why" through curiosity and collaboration.
🎙️ Rosabel “Rosie” Arellano-Razo: A Fellow for Early College and Career Experiences at Evanston Township High School (ETHS). A first-generation college student who navigated her own complex path through higher education. Rosie focuses on student success though career exploration and mentoring, helping students to find and pursue their true passions.
In this episode, we discuss:
🔥 Finding Your "Why": How do we get to a student early in their high school career to light a fire and help them explore what they truly love?
🔥 The Power of Permission: Breaking down the barriers that prevent students and adults from looking at the world with curiosity and giving themselves the "green light" to experiment.
🔥 Authentic Projects vs. Classroom Formulas: Why 3,000-degree molten metal and hands-on play create "iron-clad" memories and skills that a standard textbook cannot replicate.
🔥 Scaling Mentorship: With a community of 77,000 adults and 3,600 students, how do we engage our professionals to help guide the next generation?
🔥 The I-Kit Program: A deep dive into the internship and job shadow opportunities available at ETHS that allow students to test-drive careers in the skilled trades and beyond.
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: info@thetradecollective.org
Igniting the future of the skilled trades. Let's get fired up! 🔥