The Spark That Started It All: Youth Apprenticeship Program
“ It was nice to be a part of something very important and I had a great time working with the others to make it possible” - Ayesha
At The Spark of Hudson, we are committed to promoting learning as a tool for driving positive change. In partnership with Peter Frank and Friends of Hudson Youth, we’ve had the incredible opportunity to launch an apprenticeship program to prepare and support students looking to gain the key skills employers value in an employee. In a small town like Hudson, there are plenty of opportunities for youth to get involved, but most of these are geared toward students aged 16 and older. Our youth apprenticeship program, open to students, is designed for those who face challenges connecting with businesses and securing part-time job placements. Apprentices involved were able to select whether they preferred working in CoLab, our coworking space, or Circles, our local bagel shop run by Chef Tepper. Through our program, apprentices go through various training sessions to gain skills such as leadership, communication, networking, project management, and collaboration. After completing our program term, we go a step further by assisting each apprentice in finding local part-time employment. Additionally, we provide mentoring support for six months after their term concludes.
With the conclusion of our pilot program, we wanted to take a moment to introduce the incredible apprentices we’ve worked with and highlight the work they’ve done over the past 6 months. Our pilot program operated between July 8th and December 22nd, 2024 with our four apprentices, Moriah Walker, Brisa Trujillo, Harmony Dandridge, and Ayesha Rahman. Apprentices took part in the Financial Literacy Class hosted by Hudson Youth Department, CPR Certification Training with Greenport Rescue, Fire and Safety Training, and even had the chance to participate in a Communicational Skills Training with the Taconic Toastmasters.
Beyond their job responsibilities and training, the apprentices played a key role in preparing the building to welcome the community. They played a pivotal role in the success of our Spark Neighborhood Party by helping set up and execute the party plan, as well as reaching out to local neighbors to promote the opening celebration for the community. Each apprentice additionally contributed to the success of the Spark Fall Fest by overseeing different aspects of the event. They helped welcome and guide neighbors, assisted in setting up various stations, while others communicated with locals about the various programmes we offer at The Spark.
“I was amazed by the progress the apprentice made each time I visited The Spark. The transformation in their knowledge, confidence, and perspectives was impressive.” - Peter Frank
Meet the apprentices:
Moriah Walker, senior at Hudson High school, worked behind the scenes at Circles where she assisted in the bagel making and baking process. Moriah is an exceptional student who is deeply engaged in both her academics and extracurricular activities. After graduating high school, she plans to pursue a degree in Culinary Arts with the dream of one day opening her own café and bakery. Throughout the apprenticeship program, Moriah learned to be more independent in her work and developed key skills like time management, communication, and project management. She expressed gaining confidence in her skills, sharing that she no longer needed a recipe to make bagels. Moriah encourages future apprentices “to jump on the opportunity and take your time.”
Brisa Trujillo, senior at Hudson High School, worked at Co-Lab where she was in charge of daily operations at our coworking space. Brisa is an outstanding student who is a hard worker through and through. Brisa aspires to become an EMT and eventually start her own business. Through her role as an apprentice, Brisa has demonstrated exceptional dedication to improving her skills in confidence, public speaking, and time management. She actively engaged with members as they arrived, conducted multiple tours of our building daily, and ensured a steady workflow throughout the day, contributing to CoLab’s smooth operations and proper closure at the end of each day. Brisa shared that engaging and interacting with members has had a "huge impact" on improving her public speaking skills.
Harmony Dandridge, freshman at Hudson High School, has had the opportunity to gain experience at both Circles and CoLab. Harmony is a resilient and determined individual who is heavily involved and consistently seeking out more opportunities for involvement to support her school and community. Throughout her time at The Spark, Harmony has developed various skills, including time management, adaptability, and communication. Her time at Circles helped her sharpen her time management skills and learn how to assist customers efficiently. At CoLab, she adapted to a different work environment, where the fast pace of Circles was absent. She gained experience working on various tasks and learned how to switch gears quickly when a member approached. Harmony aims to stay connected and continue working to help her community grow.
Ayesha Rahman, senior at Hudson High School, similarly had the chance to gain understanding of the work done at both Circles and CoLab. She is a hardworking and driven student actively engaged in a variety of extracurricular activities. Ayesha’s looking forward to pursuing studies in the pharmaceutical field. She is always eager to learn and take on new challenges. In the course of the program, Ayesha has focused on refining skills such as communication, networking, and time management. She has learned strategies to connect with others and enhance her public speaking skills, while also understanding when to take a step back and reflect on her work.“The apprenticeship program has influenced my career goals because it taught me how to get out of my comfort zone” - Ayesha.
“I’ve seen firsthand how they’ve overcome the very goals they initially set, and I’m incredibly proud of them” Fathema Rahman, Workforce Development Coordinator, stated. She continued “This program is such a great opportunity to start the conversation about college, career, and aspirations. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with each apprentice about their plans and I’m excited to see where they’re headed”. Each of the four apprentices have touched our hearts greatly. We admire each and every one of them and consider them a part of our wonderful Spark family.
As we reflect on our four apprentices, we're also excited to introduce our incoming apprentices next month and look forward to the journey ahead. Our Youth Apprentice Program is just one way The Spark of Hudson is opening doors to a brighter future for our youth. You can help us continue making a difference! Share this story, follow us on social media, or make a donation to support initiatives that empower our students to dream big and think globally. Together, we can ensure every student has the tools and opportunities they need to explore the world.
-The Spark Team
