WHAT WE DO

The Trade Institute of Pittsburgh’s mission is to empower men and women with significant barriers to employment through skill building and job opportunities.

We offer a 11-week tuition-free training program in masonry and carpentry, life skills courses, and holistic supports. Working with our job developers while enrolled, graduates are matched with a job in a variety of trades or related fields following graduation.

People come to us to stabilize their lives and transform their future. We believe that if our students thrive, so will our communities.

TRAINING PROGRAMS

MASONRY

In our core program, students spend ten weeks moving through a series of stations where they learn how to brick point, lay brick to the line, and more. Each station is progressively more difficult to increase participants’ skills and develop confidence.

CARPENTRY

TIP’s carpentry program is a seven-week training course open to students who have completed the first half of the masonry program and have the aptitude and interest in advanced training. Participants learn the basics of building practices and the practical use of power and hand tools in a safe and skilled manner.

HYBRID TRAINING

The hybrid model is a structured workforce pathway that combines hands-on training at an employer’s job site with continued support from TIP staff. For students, hybrid training reduces barriers to entry, builds confidence, and creates a clear pathway to long-term employment or union placement.This approach is innovative because it shifts hiring from a one-time decision to a shared investment, aligning employer needs with student growth and long-term retention.

LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMS

CASE MANAGEMENT • LIFE COACHING • CAREER READINESS

A crucial component of the TIP program is the mental health, life skills, and career readiness support. TIP provides the platform and space people need to stabilize and thrive so graduates can flourish in their careers and communities.

Life skills and holistic supports help students achieve their full potential and build personal wealth. Classes include personal finance, life couching, math for the trades, resume and interview coaching, and driver’s license test preparation.

TRANSITIONAL PROGRAMS

TIPX

A transitional jobs initiative that hires recent graduates and employs them for our in-house construction company. They receive additional training and assistance in overcoming any barrier keeping them from long-term employment.

ALUMNI PROGRAM

The Alumni Program and Alumni Advisory Council is overseen by the TIP Community Engagement Coordinator, who follows up with graduates to ensure they have what they need to succeed. The mission of the TIP Alumni Advisory Council is to enhance relationships with TIP Alumni. The Council provides feedback, support, and promotes alumni initiatives and prioritizes alumni surveys.

LICENSE TO THRIVE

Our workforce transportation program takes students from driver’s permit to vehicle ownership. A persistent barrier our graduates face is the lack of a vehicle to drive to job sites.

WORKFORCE HOUSING

By providing short-term housing, students and alumni experiencing housing insecurity can stabilize, save money, and prepare for independent living.