Just Graduated (or Didn't)? Here's a Career Path That Pays You While You Learn

May is graduation season. Caps and gowns, proud families, big celebrations — and for a lot of young people in Chicago, a quiet, anxious question that nobody really talks about: now what?

If you are holding a diploma and feeling unsure about what comes next, or if you walked away from school without one and you are wondering if there is still a clear path forward, this is for you.

Because the answer might not be what you expect. And it definitely does not require taking on $30,000 in debt to find out.

The Path Nobody Told You About

For most of your life, you have probably heard one version of what success looks like after high school: go to college, get a degree, start a career. What that story usually leaves out is the fine print.

The average bachelor's degree graduate in 2026 leaves school with about $29,890 in student loan debt, according to U.S. News and World Report. At average repayment rates, that follows them for 10 to 25 years. And according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, Black bachelor's degree completers on average owe more four years after graduation than they originally borrowed, because interest compounds faster than most entry-level salaries can keep up with.

For young people on Chicago's South Side, that risk is not abstract. It is a financial reality that shapes decisions about housing, family, and everything that comes after.

There is another path. One that does not ask you to go into debt before you earn your first dollar. One that pays you from day one. One that puts nationally recognized certifications in your hands within months, not years.

It is a career in the construction trades, and the entry point in Chicago is closer than most people know.

Why Construction, Why Now

The construction industry in Illinois is actively looking for people like you.

According to the Associated Builders and Contractors, the U.S. construction industry needs to attract approximately 349,000 net new workers in 2026 on top of normal hiring just to meet current demand. Nearly 40% of the current construction workforce is over the age of 45, and a significant wave of retirements is already underway. Illinois alone has seen consistent growth in construction employment, with the sector reaching 236,500 jobs as of late 2024, and that number continues to climb as infrastructure, manufacturing, and commercial projects accelerate across the state.

This is not a buyer's market for employers. It is a seller's market for workers who show up trained, certified, and ready.

Entry-level construction laborers in Chicago earn between $20 and $30 per hour. Apprentice electricians in Chicago average $61,243 per year, according to Glassdoor's 2026 data. Union laborers in Chicago start at 60% of the journey-level rate, which works out to over $30 per hour even in the first year of a registered apprenticeship, based on Chicago Laborers District Council wage data through May 2026.

That is not a starter salary. That is a career.

What Is a Pre-Apprenticeship, and Why Does It Matter?

Before you can enter a registered apprenticeship, most unions and contractors want to see that you understand the basics: safety, tools, how a job site works, and whether this environment is one you actually want to be in long-term.

That is exactly what a pre-apprenticeship program is designed to give you.

A pre-apprenticeship is a short-term, structured training program that introduces you to multiple construction trades, earns you industry credentials, and connects you directly to registered apprenticeship programs and employers. It is the step between "interested" and "employed."

And in Chicago, there is a program that does this, for free, while paying you to be there.

Tools Up Foundation: Free Training, Real Credentials, Real Pay

Tools Up Foundation (TUF) is a nonprofit organization on Chicago's South Side that runs two programs specifically designed to meet young people where they are, before they have experience, before they have certifications, and before they have a clear picture of where their career is going.

Here is what TUF offers, and what it costs.

Pave the Way Up - Pre-Apprenticeship Program (Ages 18+)

Pave the Way Up is an 11-week paid pre-apprenticeship program funded through the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program. It is part-time, it is free to participants, and it pays you while you train.

Over 11 weeks, you will train hands-on across multiple construction trades. You will learn safety, tools, teamwork, and job site operations. And when you are done, you will hold three certifications that employers across the country require:

• OSHA 10 - required on most U.S. job sites before you can set foot on one

• First Aid / CPR

• NCCER Core - the national construction education credential recognized by unions and general contractors everywhere

The program's outcomes speak for themselves. 96% of participants complete the program. 100% walk away with their certifications.

TUF Teens - Construction Training for Ages 14–17

If you are still in high school, or you are a parent reading this, TUF Teens is a paid program designed for young people ages 14 - 17 in Chicago's South Side neighborhoods including Englewood, West Englewood, Auburn Gresham, Roseland, Chatham, West Pullman, South Chicago, Washington Heights, Grand Boulevard, Gage Park, South Deering, Calumet Heights, East Side, and South Shore.

TUF Teens gives teens hands-on construction training alongside mental health check-ins, transportation support, and performance-based stipends. Graduates earn OSHA 10, First Aid/CPR, and their Flagger Certification. The program has a 91% completion rate, 100% credential attainment, and 61% of participants are young women.

It costs nothing to apply.

What You Will Actually Walk Away With

After completing Pave the Way Up, here is what changes.

Credentials employers require. Your OSHA 10 card is not a participation trophy. It is a hard requirement on most construction job sites in the United States. Walking into an interview with OSHA 10, First Aid/CPR, and NCCER Core already on your resume puts you ahead of most candidates who have no prior training at all.

A direct pathway to a registered apprenticeship. TUF's program is designed to connect graduates to DOL Registered Apprenticeships, multi-year, paid career programs that take you from entry-level to journey-level status, with wages that increase at each stage. The program you complete in 11 weeks opens the door to a career that pays $50,000, $60,000, $80,000, and beyond as your skills grow.

A professional network. TUF works with Chicago's leading construction employers and partners. The connections you build during the program are not theoretical; they are with real employers who are actively hiring.

Mental health support. TUF builds mental wellness check-ins and trauma-informed support into every program. Because showing up ready for a career requires more than job site training, it requires a foundation, and TUF takes that seriously.

Who This Is For

You do not need construction experience. You do not need a specific background. You need to meet the following requirements and be willing to show up.

For Pave the Way Up:

• 18 years or older

• High school diploma, GED, or HiSET

• Illinois resident

• Genuine interest in the construction trades

For TUF Teens:

• Ages 14–17

No prior experience required for either program.

The Math

Here is what the numbers actually look like side by side.

A four-year college degree costs an average of $29,890 in student loan debt for graduates of public universities, and up to $39,510 at private nonprofits, according to the latest data from the Education Data Initiative. That debt takes an average of 10–25 years to repay. You begin earning money only after graduating, typically four years after you start.

Pave the Way Up takes 11 weeks. It costs you $0. You are paid a stipend throughout. You exit with three certifications. You are positioned for a career where entry-level wages in Chicago start at over $20/hour, and apprenticeship-level wages at union scale start around $30/hour. There is no debt to carry out the door.

That is not a knock on college. College is the right choice for many people. But for young people, especially young people on Chicago's South Side, who have been told there is one path forward, it is worth knowing that there is another one. A real one. A funded one. One that exists right now.

What Happens After the Program

Completing Pave the Way Up is the beginning, not the end.

TUF's programs are designed as a connected pathway. After Pave the Way Up, graduates are positioned to enter a DOL Registered Apprenticeship, the formal multi-year career program that takes you to journey-level status and the full wages that come with it. TUF's Build Up program offers Construction Project Management training for those ready to move into field and office leadership. Future programs, including Invest

Up will add real estate investment training to TUF's growing lineup.

Every step is free. Every step is forward.

A Note To Parents Reading This

If you found this post because your son or daughter is graduating and you are trying to figure out what comes next, we hear you.

You want your child to have a stable career with real income, real benefits, and real job security. You want them to be supported, not thrown into something risky. And if you are skeptical about a construction training program, that is a fair reaction.

Here is what we can tell you.

TUF's programs include licensed mental health counselors, trauma-informed support, transportation assistance, and performance-based stipends. The program has a 96% completion rate because participants feel supported enough to stay. The credentials they earn are nationally recognized. The employers they connect with are real Chicago-area contractors who are actively hiring.

And it costs your family nothing.

If you have questions, TUF wants to hear from you directly. Come to an information session. Ask every question you have. The door is open.

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How to Apply

Applications for Pave the Way Up are open now and reviewed on a rolling basis. Space is limited.

Apply here: toolsup.org/pavethewayup

If you are a teen between 14 and 17 and you live in one of TUF's South Side neighborhoods:

Apply here: toolsup.org/tufteens

Have questions before applying? Contact TUF directly:

📞 773-245-0420 📍 1834 East 71st Street, Chicago, Illinois 60649 🌐 toolsup.org

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Tools Up Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All programs are free to participants and funded through the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program and community partnerships. Tools Up Foundation is located on Chicago's South Side and serves young people and adults across the city's South Side neighborhoods.

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