Help Young Adults Build Economic Opportunity by Teaching Construction Skills!

Job Summary: YouthBuild serves young people ages 16-21 who are experiencing barriers to their education and employment*. Youth learn about carpentry and tree care while working on breaking down the barriers they face. The Tree Trust YouthBuild Construction Trainer invests in the lives of young people by mentoring youth to develop marketable job and leadership skills. Trainers teach young adults carpentry while ensuring the safe and timely completion of housing projects.

About Us: Tree Trust was created in 1976 to address two problems in the Twin Cities: the devastation of Dutch elm disease to the urban tree canopy and the high unemployment and poverty rates for youth and adults at the time. Tree Trust began combating these two issues by hiring unemployed individuals and training them to plant trees and reforest the Twin Cities urban landscape. Since then, Tree Trust has expanded to offer integrated employment training, case management, community forestry, and environmental education programs.

At Tree Trust we focus on pathways to careers for youth and young adults facing barriers to employment, on planting trees to grow a vibrant and resilient urban forest, and on collaborative partnerships – with each other, with our community partners, and with the people we serve. We do this through three divisions: Career Pathways, Community Forestry, and Landscape Services.

What You Will Get from This Role:

• Purpose driven work passing your construction knowledge to young people looking for a meaningful career.
• Collaborative, supportive, and productive yet fun work culture. In a recent employee survey over 97% of respondents reported that "my supervisor sets a good example at work,” “I am encouraged to participate in solving problems at work,” and “I understand how the work I do aligns with Tree Trust’s mission.”
• The opportunity to work with a mission driven team, with supportive leadership, while also having appropriate autonomy and freedom to make decisions, create processes and systems, and take initiative and ownership.
• Excellent benefits package includes Vacation, Sick, 10 paid holidays, 401(k), 3 Health Insurance options, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Voluntary additional life insurance, Employee Assistance Program, Disability, and an FSA

Tree Trust actively seeks to build a staff that reflects the diversity of the population and community it serves, and that’s why we strongly encourage people of color to apply.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

If you are unable to submit your resume due to a disability, contact hr@treetrust.org to request an accommodation or alternate application process.

Essential Functions

Construction Training

• Deliver Home Builders Institute curriculum ensuring participants achieve credentials.
• Train, coordinate and supervise a diverse crew of young adults, ages 16 – 21, in housing construction and remodeling.
• Establish and maintain a safe worksite environment. This includes providing safety training to students, identifying hazards, and ensuring use of personal protective equipment.
• Maintain clean worksite, tools, and equipment, and keep appropriate staff updated on equipment and project needs.
• Develop supportive relationship with crew members, serving as a positive role model promoting individual growth.
• Enforce program policies and take disciplinary action while maintaining rapport, motivation, and enforcement of high expectations.
• Develop, facilitate, and assist in employment and educational trainings.
• Teach construction skills in math and residential construction techniques.
• Participate in service learning, training days, recognition activities and staff meetings, as required.
• Transport youth and equipment between worksites.
• Adhere to program funding requirements.

Recruitment

• Recruit participants including interviewing candidates, develop and implement program orientation, and complete new hire paperwork.

Leadership and Life Skills Training Support

• Support Program Manager in Leadership and Life Skills implementation.

Placement Year Student Support

• Work with other staff to assist crew in meeting goals, including achievement of high school diploma or equivalent, preparedness for future education and employment, and recognition and utilization of personal goals, abilities and resources.
• Assist with job placements during post programming year including career discovery, resume development, job search, mock interviewing, and other Employment Readiness Training.
• Maintain monthly contact with past participants (as assigned) and provide additional follow-up as necessary.

Administration

• Complete and maintain documentation of daily events, including attendance, disciplinary action, youth progress evaluation and worksite project data.
• Track participant attendance and follow up with absent participants. Work with participants when attendance issues arise.
• Maintain and track participants time/point sheets.

Participant Service Requirements

• * Act as a role model for and manage the daily work and training of participants with all types of employment barriers, including participants with varied ability including Autism, ADHD, Down’s Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, trauma, experience with the criminal justice system and substance abuse issues, and from underserved areas or living with low income.

• Model a strong work ethic, positive attitude, and commitment to quality.
• Provide deliberate and effective feedback to participants to foster continuous development within an employment training setting.
• Set appropriate boundaries with participants, staying focused on program mission and goals.
• Respond to challenging situations with composure and good judgement, modeling professional employment behaviors.

Qualifications/Skills Required:

• Coursework in carpentry, associate degree in human services or a related field and one or more years of relevant work experience; or a high school diploma/GED and three or more years of relevant work experience.
• Enjoy teaching basic residential construction techniques. Scopes of work will include, but not limited to concrete forming, framing, sheathing, windows and doors, roofing, siding, drywall, taping, interior, and exterior trim.
• 1 or more years assisting youth with diverse backgrounds in developing a variety of personal, professional skills and experience with strength-based assessment preferred.
• Enthusiasm, flexibility, positive attitude, and a commitment to youth development.
• Ability to promote individual growth in youth from diverse backgrounds with varying abilities.
• Supervisory experience preferred.
• Valid MN driver’s license and clean driving record as determined by our insurance carrier.
• Reliable personal vehicle and valid insurance.
• Ability to pass a criminal & motor vehicle background check.

Work Environment: Job will require working outdoors in all types of weather conditions and exposure to elements. This can include heavy to moderate noise, extreme proximity to moving equipment or machinery, proximity to electrical energy, exposure to tools and machines used in landscaping industries. Job will also include work in an office setting to include screen/keyboard use and sitting.

Physical demands: Physical demands require constantly moving, walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling. Frequently operates machinery and will use hands/fingers and legs to operate, activate, use, prepare, inspect, place, detect and position materials. Frequently required to stand and walk, lift and/or move up to 50 lbs. Constantly required to communicate with ability to talk and hear. Job will also include work in an office setting to include screen/keyboard use and sitting.