Intro to Construction Trades Instructor

Summary of Position

After School Matters is seeking committed, part-time instructors to teach its Intro to Construction Trades program during the Spring or Summer 2026 Session for 15-18 high school participants between the ages of 16 to 18.

The Intro to Construction Trades program will provide teens who are interested in the trades with the opportunity to explore different career pathways in the construction trades and learn from various trades professionals. Teens will learn about craft skills and key components of the trades industry, engage with trades professionals during program visits and field trips, and hone critical life and work skills through hands‑on, project‑based learning experiences.

Teens will also be able to get OSHA and CPR certifications by the end of the program session.

• Design and implement an engaging and hands‑on construction trades curriculum aligned with After School Matters program guidelines.
• Expose a diverse group of teen participants to various facets of the construction trades industry.
• Facilitate career exploration and connect program activities to competencies in the skilled trades.
• Intentionally support critical youth development skills, including leadership development; community building; real‑world and experiential learning; public speaking; youth voice and agency.
• Deliver instruction in, and lead teen participants through, inquiry‑based discovery methods, including but not limited to instructor demonstrations, hands‑on activities, research, oral presentations.
• Facilitate teens in the completion of a culminating project and/or event at the end of the program session to demonstrate overall learning.
• Develop, plan, and implement high‑quality related field trips, master classes, events, and guest visits to enhance instruction and training.
• Provide supervision during program field trips and other youth engagement opportunities.
• Report all problems or concerns and program updates to After School Matters Program Specialist to maintain consistent lines of communication throughout the program session.
• Attend all planning and program dates, including instructor orientation, professional development workshops, meetings and other required sessions.
• Participate in the recruitment, interview, and selection process of teen program participants.
• Manage and track program activities such as attendance, interview outcomes, enrollment, evaluation surveys, and pertinent student records in an online data tracking system (Cityspan).

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant major (e.g., construction management) OR completion of a recognized trades apprenticeship program is preferred.
• Experience in the field of carpentry is preferred.
• Experience teaching, specifically teenagers, is highly preferred.
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion is required.

• Programs meet for approximately 7.5 hours per week, typically 3 days a week for 2.5 hours.
• The Spring program session will run for 10 weeks from February 23rd to May 9th. Program hours are Monday through Friday after school, and include 75 instructional hours. Additional hours are allotted for planning, recruitment, professional development and meetings. Exact program meeting days/times are flexible, with some restrictions, so long as instructional hours are met.

$20 – $27 per hour, depending on applicable experience and education.

After School Matters is a Chicago‑based nonprofit organization that annually offers after‑school and summer programs to nearly 19,000 Chicago high school teens to explore and develop their talents while gaining critical skills that will set them up for success in college and beyond. Thirty‑five years later, now known as After School Matters, our program has engaged more than 450,000 Chicago teens and is the nation’s largest and most successful provider of after‑school and summer programs for high school teens.

No other organization offers programs to high school students at the scale and quality that we do. We offer paid apprenticeships led by professionals in the fields of arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM…