Building Strong Communities

Our participants have been out and about recently, visiting job sites and union training halls to get a taste of what they can experience on the job after graduation.

Thank you to our partners for sharing their expertise and encouraging our participants on their path after graduation.

Meet Trina Meyeraan.

Trina graduated from the BSC program in 2025. Seeking better wages and retirement, she saw a career in the building and construction trades as a solution.

BSC offered Trina an opportunity to learn about all the trades and helped build her confidence as she started her career.

“I really enjoyed the hands-on training and online schooling. With both of those tools, I was able to make a confident decision on which trade to pursue as a career,” she said.

Trina is currently a union member with the LIUNA Laborers Local 405 out of Rochester, MN. She is working with Next 150 on the Mayo Clinic project as a Laborer.

“As a middle-aged woman in recovery with no retirement account, I had big decisions to make about the now and my future . The reason I chose the trades is that you’re a part of something big. BSC opened my eyes to the facts that if you are willing to learn, work hard, and show up, you can make your dreams goals and those goals a reality.”

It’s Women in Construction Week and we want to highlight our wonderful female graduates! Meet Amanda Youngs.

Amanda graduated from the BSC program in 2023. As a married woman with 3 kids, she realized her current job wasn’t cutting it anymore. She needed better pay, better benefits, and better retirement. That is when she decided to pursue a career in the trades. While she had no prior experience with the building and construction trades, finding the BSC website helped guide her on her path.

"Joining the trades has benefited my life by making me more confident in myself, and it has made me worry less about my future once I reach retirement age," Amanda said.

BSC's pre-apprenticeship training opportunity helped Amanda gain some experience in heavy equipment, where she is now a member of the IUOE Local 49 as a Heavy Equipment Operator.

Amanda currently works for C.S. McCrossan in Maple Grove, MN.

"I think all women should believe in themselves and not be intimidated [by the trades]. Most of the men who dominate the industry are actually very helpful and willing to help or answer any questions you have."

Thank you, JE Dunn Construction for hosting an informative jobsite tour in St. Paul this week for BSC’s participants looking to build great careers in the construction industry.

On Saturday, several of our BSC 2026 participants attended their First Aid/CPR/AED certification training. The certification is part of the BSC program experience delivered in partnership with the MN Safety Council.