How The Trade Works: Paid, Full-Time Work and Benefits
When a young adult joins The Trade, they are not signing up for a temporary experience. Instead, they are stepping into real employment, real responsibility, and a clear pathway forward. The details matter in adulthood, and here’s how we set apprentices up for success:
Full-Time Employment from Day One
At The Trade, apprentices are employees from Day One. They work full-time at $11 per hour, with the opportunity for job review and multiple raises based on their job performance.
Apprentices show up on time, work alongside experienced tradespeople and mentors, and contribute to meaningful projects. As they build competence and trust, they take on increased responsibility—and increased pay. They are not “in a program.” They are part of a working team.
Structured Living and Support
The Trade is both an employment model and a structured launch environment. Families invest in boarding, support services, and oversight that includes:
Supervised housing
Mentorship and case management
Life-skills coaching
Accountability structures
Transportation and daily structure
Ongoing communication with families when appropriate
The tuition families pay supports the residential, supervisory, and developmental aspects of The Trade. Meanwhile, apprentices keep their hard-earned wages. As the money in their account grows, they’ll receive support in budgeting, managing expenses, and navigating financial systems. It’s a big part of the reason that The Trade is different.
Access to Healthcare Through Employment
Because apprentices are employees of our parent nonprofit, Moosilauke Visions, they gain access to employer-supported healthcare benefits. This provides more than medical coverage. It gives young adults the opportunity to learn how health insurance works, how to enroll in benefits, and how to navigate adult systems responsibly. Insurance can be complicated, but our apprentices are supported every step of the way.
Retirement Savings with Employer Match
Apprentices can also contribute to a 401-3B retirement account, with employer matching up to 3 percent. It’s hard to think about retirement at the start of a career. But starting early builds financial literacy and long-term thinking. It’s one more way we reinforce a key message here at The Trade:
Your future matters. You are building toward it now.
The Bottom Line
Ready to get to work? If you know a young adult who’s bright but struggling, lacks direction, or is ready for employment over intervention, let’s talk. We’ve set up a clear path to adulthood through paid full-time employment, access to benefits, a retirement account and structured housing. Contact us today and take the next step.
