The Spark Continues: Welcoming Our New Apprentices- Will You Be Next?

Here at The Spark of Hudson, we’re dedicated to building up local workforce development. In July of 2024 we partnered with Peter Frank and Friends of Hudson Youth to launch an apprenticeship program with the goal of helping students gain skills such as adaptability, leadership, communication, project management, critical thinking, and more. While many local opportunities are for older students, our program is designed for youth aged 14-18 facing challenges in connecting with businesses and finding part-time work. Apprentices can choose to work at CoLab, our coworking space; or Circles, Chef Tepper's bagel shop. After completing the program, we help apprentices find local part-time jobs and provide six months of additional mentoring after they are placed.

Since the conclusion of our last apprenticeship cycle, we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming four new students to our team. On February 17th, we were excited to introduce our Spring ‘25 apprentices: Malaky Payton (18), Kianie Guerrero (16), David Ryder (15), and Marilyn Ajpacaja (15). During their first week, they participated in a variety of training sessions, including CPR and food handling certifications, team-building activities such as the Marshmallow Challenge and Icebreaker Ball, as well as programs on Workplace Etiquette, Youth Leadership, and more.

Malaky is a highly engaged and hands-on apprentice who excels at organization and assembling projects. He is currently training as the weekday receptionist at CoLab, where he is gaining valuable experience in the daily operations of a coworking space. 

Marilyn is a versatile individual with skills both inside and outside the kitchen. She works across CoLab and Circles, interacting with customers and researching the local impact of initiatives supported by The Spark of Hudson. Recently, with the guidance of Chef Tepper, Marilyn successfully made her first bagel! 

Kianie works at both CoLab and Circles. Kianie’s tech-savviness has gone a long way in enhancing the social media presence of The Spark and apprentices alike (be sure to check out some of the videos on our TikTok, @TheSparkofHudsonOfficial). 

David is a dynamic individual with a passion for both engaging conversations and staying organized. Working at CoLab, he oversees the Spark Library and frequently provides tours to visitors. Don’t miss David’s first Spark Conversations event on April 9th at 5 PM, where he will be discussing the history of video games.

To stay updated on our apprentices' progress, be sure to follow us on social media. You can find us on Instagram and Facebook @sparkofhudson, and on TikTok @thesparkofhudsonofficial.

We are thrilled to bring back our exciting Summer Apprenticeship Program! If you're a teen eager to gain hands-on experience and develop valuable skills over break, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Our program runs from July 7 to August 31, and applications are now open. 

Click "Apply" below to get started and take the first step toward an enriching summer experience!