The Trade

The Trade The Trade is a life-preparatory program for young adults with a work-skills component based on a classic apprenticeship model.

Program candidates are invited to “trade us a year for the rest of their life.”

04/22/2026

Splitting wood is satisfying! Forester and mentor Andrew Westerman worked with apprentices today to turn logs into a seemingly unlimited stockpile of firewood. Some of the wood will be sent to local community members to heat their homes, and some will be used to stock The Innstead's fire pits this summer!

Throughout the year, we stay busy representing The Trade and meeting with folks at conferences across the country. Next ...
04/16/2026

Throughout the year, we stay busy representing The Trade and meeting with folks at conferences across the country. Next week is a big one in Georgia, The Autism Symposium. The Trade is one of the sponsors and our enrollment leaders Dr. Will White and Greg Hitchcock will be attending!

Dr. White will be presenting alongside Jake Weld, M.Ed. on “Preparing Neurodiverse Young People for Work and Purpose in the AI Era” on April 22. This session explores how rapid changes—particularly the rise of AI and shifting labor markets—are impacting neurodiverse young adults, and highlights practical, hands-on approaches that support successful transitions into work and independent living.

If you’ll be attending, we’d welcome the opportunity to connect, share more about our work, and learn about the young people you’re supporting.

Spring cleaning ✔Lately, apprentices have been cleaning up The Mountain's property for the busy months ahead. That inclu...
04/10/2026

Spring cleaning ✔

Lately, apprentices have been cleaning up The Mountain's property for the busy months ahead. That includes rejuvenating the orchards on the property with mentor and forester Andrew Westerman. More outside time is welcome after a long winter!

Back inside, they are making great progress on the stairway for the Parker Barn, which will open access for upper storage. The new boiler and piping arrived to The Homestead, and apprentices worked with mentor Jim to begin to assemble the puzzle of putting it together.

Over at Lavoie's Auto Shop, apprentices continued the weekly dive into the (sometimes) dirty job of car maintenance, including a tire mount, new rear brakes, oil and filter service, and replacing a turbo on various vehicles.

All in a solid week of work!

04/02/2026

One unique part of The Trade is the integration of occupational therapy (OT). We're lucky to have Zack Schafer, MS, OTR/L in charge of OT programming. Zack has more than eight years of experience in the field and is also the executive director at Mountain Valley Treatment Center. What exactly does OT mean for our apprentices? Watch to find out!

We're not quite this green on the Mountain yet, but spring has teased with warmer days! New apprentices continue to join...
03/28/2026

We're not quite this green on the Mountain yet, but spring has teased with warmer days! New apprentices continue to join the crew and work continues at a steady pace:

On the land stewardship side, apprentices are working their way through apple orchards across the property. They're using ladders, pole saws, hand pruners and the occasional chainsaw under the supervision of mentor and forester Andrew. We're excited for the literal fruits of our labor later this year!

Now that the Parker Barn interior walls are finished, apprentices are teaming up with mentors Forrest, Nick, Ted, and Jim to really finish the place. That includes trim application, shelving installation, and an upcoming build of a stairway plus insulation. The project is spanning across many disciplines and the final building is coming to life.

Apprentices worked with mentor Jim to put together a list of materials for a new propane heater at The Homestead. They'll replace an oil heater and started drilling for the first line to be installed.

Finally, the team headed to Lavoie's Auto Shop to work with mentor Eric on servicing a Toyota Rav4, a new addition to our vehicle fleet. That involved an oil change, replacing cabin and air filters, and a full-vehicle inspection. It's good to have another ride with our next apprentice joining soon!

03/26/2026

Autonomy, Proficiency, Competency ✔

Our Executive Director Noah Zind talks about his goals for apprentices as they complete paid work in the trades, surrounded by expert mentors every step of the way.

How do we document hours of hard work and what we've learned for future employers? The professional portfolio. Our life ...
03/20/2026

How do we document hours of hard work and what we've learned for future employers? The professional portfolio. Our life skills mentors work with each apprentice to show in detail all they've accomplished in their year of work at The Mountain. The portfolio goes far beyond a traditional resume and cover letter. It demonstrates breadth of learning and growth to potential employers or admissions counselors, and helps our apprentices stand out in competitive fields of applicants:

https://www.tradeforlife.org/blog/the-trade-professional-portfolio

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 Apprentices spent their week:✔Pruning apple trees to prepare for another season of growth, alo...
03/14/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧

Apprentices spent their week:

✔Pruning apple trees to prepare for another season of growth, along with mentor and forester Andrew
✔Painting the Parker Barn ceiling and adding a clear coat to the new wood siding. Plus painting work for our friends down at Mountain Valley
✔Power washing property vehicles and machinery for a much-needed clean after a long winter season
✔Changing the radiator and rear brakes on a customer's vehicle at Lavoie's Auto Shop, with mentor Eric
✔Meeting our new Innstead innkeepers who have just moved on site, and welcoming another apprentice to the team!

03/11/2026

Assistant Director of Home Life Jennifer Barrientos brings more than 20 years of experience of work in outdoor education and community life. Along with her leadership background in residential communities, she's a certified Waldor teacher, and the former owner of an organic vegetable farm where she ran a hands-on apprenticeship program. She's focused on creating outdoor-centered learning environments where individuals and communities can thrive. Hear more about why Jennifer decided to join The Trade!

It's great to have different worksite experiences and help out our friends at the same time!
03/05/2026

It's great to have different worksite experiences and help out our friends at the same time!

Did you know that 1/5 of Americans identify as neurodivergent? According to the Harvard Business Review, neurodivergent ...
03/04/2026

Did you know that 1/5 of Americans identify as neurodivergent? According to the Harvard Business Review, neurodivergent employees might be better at understanding complex mathematics, memorizing intricate details, and concentrating at an unmatched level. Valuable skills that can shine in a variety of workplace settings, including our work at The Trade:

https://www.tradeforlife.org/blog/neurodiverse-young-adults-the-trade

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