By Kathy Kennedy
State Rep., R-119
Kathy Kennedy
One of the things I enjoy most about serving in the legislature is getting out into our communities and seeing firsthand the opportunities available to our young people.
I recently had the opportunity to attend the graduation ceremony for the 2026 trade internship program hosted by United Illuminating and Southern Connecticut Gas. The ceremony brought together students who spent the summer getting something you simply can’t learn from a textbook: real-world experience.
These students worked alongside experienced utility employees, union leaders and operations teams, getting a firsthand look at what it takes to build a career in the skilled trades.
And let me tell you, Connecticut needs more opportunities like this.
For too long, we have sometimes acted as though there is only one definition of success for a young person: graduate high school, go to a four-year college and earn a degree.
There’s nothing wrong with that path. But it’s not the only path.
A young person who wants to become an electrician, work in utilities, construction or manufacturing, or learn another skilled profession can build a great career without taking on four years of college tuition. With the right training and apprenticeship, they can learn a valuable skill, earn a paycheck and start building a future.
That’s something we should be encouraging.
As a state, we need to do a better job connecting our students with these opportunities. Our employers need skilled workers. Over 14,000 skilled trades jobs are not being filled in Connecticut. Our young people deserve to know about the many different doors that are available to them.
That’s why programs like the UI and SCG trade internship are so important. They give students the chance to try something out before deciding what comes next. They get to meet people who have made careers in the trades and see that these are not just jobs – they can be lifelong careers.
I was proud to join the students, their families and the UI and SCG teams to celebrate their accomplishments. I’m especially grateful to the mentors and workers who took the time to show these young people what is possible.
There is a lot of talk these days about preparing Connecticut for the future. That future starts with giving our young people the skills and opportunities they need today.
Whether the next generation chooses a four-year college, a technical school, an apprenticeship or a career in the trades, we should be opening doors – not closing them.
When a young person walks through one of those doors and discovers a career they can be proud of, that’s something worth celebrating.