A free skilled-trades training program in Hawaii graduated its first class of ten students, and the early results are good news for local workers looking to get into construction.

• The first group of ten students finished the program and earned construction credentials at no cost.
• Two of the graduates went straight into apprenticeships, the usual path to steady building work.
• The program is run by C2C Workforce USA together with the National Center for Construction Education and Research.
• Free credentials matter in Hawaii, where the cost of training often keeps people out of the trades.

Outlook: More classes are likely to follow if this first group keeps landing jobs.