In a recent Pau Hana celebration at the Kīhei Charter School, 10 graduates of the Maui Tradewinds Vocational Training and Education Program moved on to the next step in their potential Maui-based engineering careers.
At 90 years old, Malia Johnson, a dedicated educator and member of the South Maui Learning Ohana, continues to shape the vision of Kīhei Charter School, focusing on experiential education, community-based learning, and smaller class sizes.
The newly created Maui Tradewinds Vocational Training Program has opened registration for its workforce facility engineer training program. The program is free to attend, and selected trainees will be paid a stipend of $15 per training hour.
“Our goal is to provide high-quality, hands-on experience to the next generation of engineers while also addressing the shortage of skilled workers in the industry and providing a path for Maui Youth to stay home,” said Rich Sato, executive director of the Maui Facilities and Engineering Leadership Council.
Jazz Maui founder Bryant Neal has been involved in helping to organize music workshops for Maui youths for more than two decades. His latest nonprofit project is a weekly Jazz Maui venue featuring jazz artists in the Sunset Jazz Series at Maui Ku’ia Estate Chocolate Factory, including those who volunteer with students at workshops in schools. Maui Now writer Gary Kubota interviewed Neal.