“They helped me see bigger opportunities,” says Chasthan Hernandez, a 2025 graduate of a Maui vocational technology awareness program that helps qualifying high school students gain high-demand skills in the facilities maintenance and engineering trades.
learning in a practical setting, where students can gain
real-world skills that are in high demand on Maui.
For high school seniors who are not college-bound, the nonprofit Maui Facilities and Engineering Leadership Council (MFELC), comprised of members of the island’s major firms and businesses, offers another pathway to success. In this cross-generational education program, working and retired senior volunteers pass their knowledge about the trades to the next generation, helping to build careers through mentorship with qualifying high school seniors through communication, collaboration and education. A very impactful part of this program is the life experience and wisdom imparted by the instructors.
The State of Hawai‘i Alternative Learning Programs, Services and Supports (ALPPS) program and the Baldwin-Kekaulike-Kulanihakoi-Maui Complex Area developed a hands-on learning experience tailored to graduating seniors who qualify and enroll in the program. The Tradewinds VoTech awareness initiative is a win-win for students and the community by giving students meaningful pathways to immediate, stable careers while closing the skilled worker gap and helping to ensure Maui’s continued growth and prosperity. The program offers avenues to paid training in construction, tools, blueprints and engineering skills, especially for wildfire survivors, graduates and returning residents to rebuild the island’s infrastructure and economy.
Students will gain real-world, practical insights into Maui’s skilled trades, including plumbing, carpentry, electrical work, HVAC and more. Each module builds upon the last, offering students a deeper understanding of how these vital trades are interconnected and essential to Maui’s success. “Our goal is to provide graduating students with an awareness of how, with just a high school degree, they can access immediate opportunities for careers offering salaries that rival and in some cases exceed those of college graduates right here on Maui,” says MFELC Executive Director Rich Sato. “We’re here to open doors to career possibilities that many students may not have known existed.”
Plans are also in the works to launch an online platform to engage more retirees. “We will match retired, skilled trades professionals with opportunities to put their skills to use—at their convenience—to help our member facilities augment their dwindling full-time—and in many cases overworked—teams,” says Rich. They are currently beta-trialing the platform and look to launch it in the first quarter of 2026.
If your teen is not headed for college, help him or her find an alternate pathway to success on Maui. Businesses and retired seniors who are looking to re-engage and can offer their mentorship are also welcome to contact MFELC using the contact information below.
MAUI FACILITIES AND ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP COUNCIL (nonprofit)
95 Mahalani St, Ste. 28-4, Wailuku, HI 96793
808-874-7400 | mauifelc@gmail.com
mfelc.org
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