{"id":764239,"date":"2026-07-15T11:34:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T11:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/764239\/"},"modified":"2026-07-15T11:34:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T11:34:12","slug":"introducing-trade-up-elevating-skilled-trades-in-northeast-florida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/764239\/","title":{"rendered":"Introducing Trade Up: Elevating skilled trades in Northeast Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 At News4JAX, we\u2019re committed to helping our community thrive. That\u2019s why we\u2019re launching Trade Up<\/a>, a new initiative designed to shine a spotlight on skilled trades and connect people with rewarding career opportunities right here in Northeast Florida.<\/p>\n

For decades, college has been presented as the primary path to success. But thousands of high-paying, in-demand careers are available through skilled trades, often with less student debt and faster paths to employment.<\/p>\n

Trade Up aims to highlight those opportunities by showcasing local success stories, providing information about training programs and apprenticeships, and connecting job seekers with employers who are actively hiring.<\/p>\n

From electricians and plumbers to HVAC technicians, welders, construction managers, linemen, and advanced manufacturing professionals, skilled trades are helping build Jacksonville\u2019s future. <\/p>\n

As our region continues to grow, the demand for qualified workers has never been greater.<\/p>\n

Through on-air stories, digital content, community partnerships, and special events, Trade Up will:<\/p>\n

Highlight careers in the skilled trades.<\/p>\n

Showcase local companies and organizations training the next generation of workers.<\/p>\n

Connect viewers with apprenticeship and certification programs.<\/p>\n

Provide resources for students, career changers, veterans, and job seekers.<\/p>\n

Help employers find the talent they need to keep Northeast Florida growing.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re a high school student exploring career options, a parent looking for information, or an adult considering a career change, Trade Up is here to help you discover opportunities that can lead to stable, meaningful, and well-paying careers.<\/p>\n

Jacksonville is growing. The jobs are here. The opportunities are real. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s time to Trade Up.<\/p>\n

Follow News4JAX in the weeks ahead as we spotlight the people, programs, and professions building the future of Northeast Florida.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll be introducing viewers and readers to local students starting their journeys, employers investing in talent, and community leaders creating new pathways to economic opportunity. <\/p>\n

This includes the partnership\u2019s debut story: A behind-the-scenes tour of the WareWorks facility with founder Chris Ware<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Meet WareWorks<\/p>\n

Launching alongside the initiative is News4JAX\u2019s partnership with WareWorks<\/a>, a Jacksonville-based workforce development organization dedicated to helping people discover careers in the skilled trades.<\/p>\n

RELATED | From Venus Swimwear HQ to a new skilled trades hub: WareWorks opens doors for those looking to \u2018Trade Up\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

WareWorks was created by founder Chris Ware, chairman of Ware Capital, who grew The Ware Group from a single HVAC supply operation into a regional company with more than 40 locations. <\/p>\n

WareWorks\u2019 mission, he said, is focused on helping to build the next generation of skilled trades professionals through collaboration with community partners.<\/p>\n

WareWorks, led by CEO Karen Bowling, serves as a central hub for individuals exploring trade careers by connecting them with apprenticeship programs, technical schools, employers and industry resources. <\/p>\n

Rather than replacing existing training programs, WareWorks helps people navigate the many opportunities already available throughout Northeast Florida.<\/p>\n

The organization believes students and families should understand that a successful career doesn\u2019t always require a traditional four-year college degree.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are trade schools, there are companies that have apprenticeships, there are colleges,\u201d WareWorks founder Chris Ware explained. \u201cWhat WareWorks provides is a place where people can understand which trades are available, what certifications they need and how to begin their journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ware also believes career conversations should start well before graduation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so clear that the path could be presented to the ninth-grade student and their parent,\u201d Ware said. \u201cShow them the opportunity that\u2019s waiting after high school.\u201d<\/p>\n

For many skilled trades, that opportunity can begin immediately after graduation.<\/p>\n

According to Ware, young adults entering apprenticeship programs can quickly begin earning competitive wages with benefits while gaining valuable experience. As their skills grow, so does their earning potential and opportunities for advancement.<\/p>\n

Bowling is a longtime Jacksonville leader whose career includes serving as Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Jacksonville and as the University of North Florida\u2019s first Vice President of Jobs, where she built partnerships aligning employer needs with student career pathways. Bowling also co-founded Solantic Urgent Care and previously worked as a journalist and TV news anchor.<\/p>\n

Click here for more information surrounding WareWorks<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Other strategies<\/p>\n

In addition to Trade Up, leaders announced two additional efforts designed to remove barriers and create clearer pathways into skilled trades:<\/p>\n

A partnership with the national Be Pro Be Proud movement\u00a0to bring a state-of-the-art mobile\u00a0\u201cTry-A-Trade\u201d\u00a0experience to North Florida, giving youth and adults hands-on simulations to explore dozens of trades.<\/p>\n

The debut of the\u00a0WareWorks Career Pathway Platform<\/a>, an online resource connecting students, parents, educators and job seekers with training programs, opportunities and crystal-clear career pathways throughout the skilled trades ecosystem.<\/p>\n

Together, organizers say, the initiatives represent a commitment to changing perceptions and increasing awareness of high-demand, high-wage skilled trades careers in the region.<\/p>\n

Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 At News4JAX, we\u2019re committed to helping our community thrive. That\u2019s why we\u2019re launching Trade Up,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":764240,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[4,450,28,1075,526,2808,451,14310,134,3,73277,452,453,326872,326873],"class_list":["post-764239","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-breaking-news","tag-breaking-news","tag-breakingnews","tag-business","tag-community","tag-education","tag-florida","tag-headlines","tag-jacksonville","tag-jobs","tag-news","tag-skilled-trades","tag-top-stories","tag-topstories","tag-trade-up","tag-wareworks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/764239","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=764239"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/764239\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/764240"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=764239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=764239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=764239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}