Report on the Hawaiʻi Carpenters Apprenticeship & Training Fund Internship Program and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

This report details the outcomes of the Hawaiʻi Carpenters Apprenticeship & Training Fund (HCATF) Career Connections summer internship program, culminating in the graduation of eleven students on July 23. The program serves as a critical mechanism for advancing several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of quality education, decent work, sustainable industry, and strategic partnerships. By providing paid, hands-on training and a direct pathway to skilled employment, the HCATF program builds a resilient local workforce, fosters economic growth, and supports the development of sustainable infrastructure in Hawaiʻi.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 4: Quality Education

The HCATF program directly addresses SDG 4 by providing inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities. It enhances vocational training for youth, equipping them with relevant skills for employment and entrepreneurship.

• Vocational Skills Development: The six-week internship offers practical, hands-on experience that surpasses traditional classroom learning, as noted by intern Laurie Noneza, who described it as “the AP version of a construction class.”
• Structured Learning Pathway: The program provides a clear educational and career pathway.
  1. Initial 40 hours of preparatory training, including OSHA 10 and First Aid/CPR certifications.
  2. A six-week paid internship at active construction sites.
  3. Direct entry into the HCATF apprenticeship program upon successful completion.
• Educational Expansion: The program has expanded from a pilot in three high schools in 2017 to a network of 32 partner schools, increasing access to quality vocational training across Oʻahu and neighbor islands.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The initiative is a key driver for SDG 8, promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. It specifically targets youth employment by creating a pipeline of skilled workers for the construction industry.

• Youth Employment: Since its inception, the program has successfully graduated 111 students, with 67 of them securing indentured apprenticeships, directly reducing the proportion of youth not in employment, education, or training.
• Economic Contribution: Interns earn a paycheck during their training, contributing to economic activity and learning the value of skilled labor.
• Industry Sustainability: As stated by HCATF Training Coordinator Kapuni Patcho, the program ensures a “healthy pipeline of workers,” which is critical for the long-term stability and growth of the local construction sector.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure & SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The program’s success is built on a multi-stakeholder partnership model (SDG 17) that strengthens the construction industry, which is essential for building resilient infrastructure (SDG 9).

• Public-Private Partnerships: The program is a collaboration between the HCATF, public high schools, and private signatory general contractors. This partnership is vital for aligning educational outcomes with industry needs.
• Industry Support: The active participation of contractors provides invaluable mentorship and real-world worksites for interns. Partner contractors for the recent cohort included:
  • Albert C. Kobayashi
  • Bruce Matson Company
  • Edward & Sands Construction
  • Group Builders
  • Shioi Construction
  • Swinerton
• Building a Skilled Workforce for Infrastructure: By training the next generation of carpenters, the program directly supports the capacity to build and maintain the state’s physical infrastructure, from schools like the Iolani School Arrillaga Student Center to other major projects.

Conclusion

The HCATF Career Connections Summer Internship Program is an exemplary model of workforce development that is deeply integrated with the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals. By providing quality vocational education (SDG 4), creating pathways to decent work (SDG 8), and leveraging strategic partnerships to support a vital industry (SDG 9 & 17), the program makes a significant and measurable contribution to the sustainable development of Hawaiʻi.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  • The article focuses on the Hawaiʻi Carpenters Apprenticeship & Training Fund’s (HCATF) Career Connections summer internship program, which provides vocational training and education to high school students. It describes how students learn practical skills beyond the classroom, such as through “40 hours of preparatory training, including OSHA 10 and First Aid/CPR Certifications,” and hands-on experience at construction sites.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  • The program is designed to create a “healthy pipeline of workers” for the construction industry. It provides youth with a “paid summer internship” and a “direct entry into the Hawaiʻi Carpenters Apprenticeship & Training Fund apprenticeship program,” which leads to employment and decent jobs.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  • By training the “next generation of construction workers,” the program directly supports the construction industry, which is essential for building and maintaining infrastructure. The article highlights the need to “ensure a healthy pipeline of workers” to sustain the industry.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  • The success of the program is explicitly attributed to collaboration. The article states, “This program could not be successful without the support of our contractors.” It details a partnership between the HCATF, private companies (“Albert C. Kobayashi, Bruce Matson Company,” etc.), and public educational institutions (“32 partner schools”).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 4.4: Increase the number of youth and adults with relevant skills for employment

   • The entire program is centered on this target. It aims to equip high school students with “relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills” (carpentry, safety certifications) specifically for “employment, decent jobs” in the construction trades. The article notes the program helps students “advance in the trades’ profession.”

2. Target 8.6: Reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET)

   • The program directly addresses this by providing a structured pathway from education to employment. It targets high school juniors and seniors, giving them training and work experience, and has successfully placed graduates into apprenticeships (“67 of them got indentured as apprentices”), thereby reducing the likelihood of them becoming NEET.

3. Target 9.2: Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and raise industry’s share of employment

   • The program contributes to the sustainability of the construction industry by addressing workforce shortages. By creating a “healthy pipeline of workers,” it helps ensure the industry has the skilled labor it needs to operate and grow, thus supporting its role in employment and the economy.

4. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships

   • The article describes a model partnership involving the HCATF (a training fund), public schools (“McKinley High School, Waiʻanae High School,” etc.), and private signatory contractors (“Shioi Construction, and Swinerton”). This collaboration is presented as essential to the program’s success.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Number of youth participating in and graduating from vocational training programs

   • The article provides precise numbers to measure participation and completion. It states, “Eleven students graduated from the… summer internship program” in the current year, and “111 students have successfully graduated from the program” since its inception.

2. Number of graduates transitioning to further training or employment

   • Progress is measured by the program’s success in placing graduates into jobs. The article indicates that “67 of them [graduates] got indentured as apprentices with the Hawaiʻi Regional Council of Carpenters” and “four of the 11 students [from the recent cohort] are planning to join the apprenticeship program.”

3. Number and type of partner organizations

   • The scale of the partnership is an indicator of its effectiveness. The article mentions “32 partner schools” and lists six specific “Contractors who partnered with HCATF,” demonstrating a multi-stakeholder collaboration.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: mauinow.com