SUPPORT THE TRADES
DONATE TODAY
Tradespeople have built our communities for generations and their skills will remain vital for years to come. By donating to Explore The Trades, you help preserve this legacy and empower the next generation of professionals.
Why Our Work Matters
Explore The Trades exists to bridge the technical talent gap by introducing students to careers in plumbing, heating, cooling, and electrical. The organization provides free resources that inspire the next generation of skilled trades professionals while supporting educators and industry partners.
For decades, schools shifted focus toward four-year college pathways, creating stigma around the skilled trades and leaving many students unaware of these essential careers. By supporting Explore The Trades, you help restore pride in the trades, rebuild awareness in classrooms, and open doors for the next generation of plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians. Now is the time to invest in the people who power the trades.
Company Spotlight
HD Supply contributed $10,000 to Explore The Trades to help grow the skilled trades talent pipeline. This gift reinforces their commitment to workforce development and advancing education in plumbing, HVAC, and electrical trades across the country.
HD Supply is a one-stop partner for skilled trades, providing the essential tools, supplies, and solutions that help professionals work efficiently. With fast delivery, easy online ordering, and dedicated sales professionals, they are committed to helping you succeed—whether you’re building your career, growing your business, or educating the next generation of tradespeople.
This webinar was recorded on March 6th, 2025.
Kristyn shared, “At State Energy, we don’t just fix air conditioners, we build trust, foster opportunity, and treat every customer like family. And as we look ahead, I’m excited to continue bridging the gap between education and industry, creating new pathways for the next generation of skilled professionals.”
Donor Spotlight
Kristyn W. Kelley: Director of Operations and Innovation, State Energy, Inc.
After nearly two decades in the hospitality and education industry, Kristyn Worrell Kelley made a transition to support her family’s legacy, State Energy Inc., a trusted air conditioning company serving South Florida since 1986. Founded by her parents, Mark and Robin Worrell, State Energy was built on the values of honesty, hard work, and fair pricing. It’s more than just an AC company; it’s a family-run business rooted in integrity and community.
Growing up, Kristyn was immersed in the heartbeat of State Energy. She rode along on estimates, learned the art of customer care, and mastered the critical skill of holding the flashlight at just the right angle for her dad (if you know, you know). These early experiences instilled in her the values that still guide the company today: honesty, integrity, and what they proudly call “The Mark Standard”—a commitment to doing the right thing, every time.
Kristyn isn’t just continuing her family’s legacy at State Energy Inc., she’s evolving it. Her leadership blends tradition with transformation, focusing on modernizing operations, strengthening workforce development, and championing the future of the trades. She quickly identified a critical challenge facing the industry: a shrinking talent pipeline, especially among women. That realization led her to Explore The Trades, an organization whose mission aligned perfectly with her own vision for the HVAC community.
As chair of the Palm Beach County STEM Externship and Teacher Experience Committee and a founding member of the PBC STEM Ecosystem Steering Team, Kristyn leads initiatives that place educators in real-world STEM environments. These experiences empower teachers to bring hands-on insights back to their classrooms, helping students uncover rewarding career paths in HVAC and beyond. Through strategic partnerships and passionate advocacy, she’s bridging the gap between education and industry, ensuring the next generation sees the trades not just as jobs, but as meaningful, future-forward careers.
For Kristyn, this mission is deeply personal. It’s about honoring her family’s legacy, elevating the skilled trades, and inspiring the next generation to view the HVAC profession as a vital STEM career that offers purpose, dignity, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact.
How You Can Help
With support from donors and industry partners, Explore The Trades is helping assemble the technical workforce of the future. Your donation to Explore The Trades provides classroom and on-demand resources to educators, young adults, parents, and all those ready to begin a path to career success.
Explore The Trades is a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charity; EIN 20-3547319. Make a gift today to help empower the trades of tomorrow.
All contributions are greatly appreciated!
Donate to a Good Cause: Become a Monthly Supporter
You can make a big impact with a small monthly gift. By joining our community of recurring donors, you’ll help sustain Explore The Trades’ mission to connect students, parents, and educators with the plumbing, HVAC, and electrical industries. Your ongoing support provides the steady resources needed to encourage skilled trades professionals and strengthen communities nationwide.
Supporters who wish to become a monthly donor will receive the following:
- Special recognition on Explore The Trades’ website and annual donor recognition announcements
- An Explore The Trades digital badge to share on social media or your company’s website to proudly showcase your support of Explore The Trades
- Explore The Trades stickers and lapel pins
Your Annual Impact
$10
With a contribution of $10 a month,
your annual impact provides 12 poster
kits to schools across the country –
reaching over 6,700 students each
year, on average.
$20
With a contribution of $20 a month,
your annual impact provides 24 poster
kits to schools across the country –
reaching over 13,000 students each
year, on average.
$50
With a contribution of $50 a month,
your annual impact provides 60 poster
kits to schools across the country –
reaching over 33,000 students each
year, on average.
$100
With a contribution of $100 a month,
your annual impact provides 120
poster kits to schools across the
country – reaching over 67,000
students each year, on average.
Partner with Explore The Trades!
Partner with us to inspire the next generation of skilled trades professionals. Explore partnership opportunities below to help guide the next generation into rewarding careers.
To discuss partnership opportunities, please contact:
Toni Bower, Donor Engagement Specialist: tonib@explorethetrades.org or 651-300-1612
Kate Cinnamo, Executive Director: katec@explorethetrades.org or 651-789-8518