This fall, PRoTechos will launch the second edition of its Youth Carpentry Program, expanding the initiative to two public schools in Puerto Rico with the support of Programa Mano Amiga de las Fundaciones Plaza Las Américas y Plaza Del Caribe.
The program introduces high school students to basic carpentry through a combination of theoretical instruction and hands-on projects, while developing skills in safety, teamwork, responsibility, problem-solving, and the use of construction tools and materials.
Building on the First Cohort
The program began during the 2025–2026 academic year at Escuela Superior República de Colombia in Río Piedras, where 12 students completed 52 hours of carpentry training between November 2025 and April 2026.
Throughout the program, students moved from basic concepts and tool use to the planning and construction of projects for their own school community. Together, they completed four projects, including shelving for kiosks, a wooden bench, two sets of amphitheater stairs with railings, and a 12-by-16-foot gazebo.
The experience allowed students to apply what they were learning in a real setting while contributing tangible improvements to the place where they study.
Expanding to Two Public Schools
For its second edition, PRoTechos will return to Escuela Superior República de Colombia and expand the program to a second public school, creating new opportunities for young people to gain practical exposure to carpentry and the skilled trades.
The initiative is designed not only to teach technical skills, but also to help students develop confidence, leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities that can support their future education and employment. PRoTechos’s program model emphasizes learning by doing, with students applying classroom concepts through supervised carpentry projects.
Made Possible Through Programa Mano Amiga
This new edition is made possible with the support of Programa Mano Amiga de las Fundaciones Plaza Las Américas y Plaza Del Caribe, whose collaboration has helped PRoTechos bring hands-on carpentry education directly into public schools.
The partnership allows students to participate in the program with the materials, tools, instruction, and support needed to focus fully on the learning experience.
Building Skills That Stay in the Community
The Youth Carpentry Program extends PRoTechos’s broader approach to workforce development: building practical skills that can remain within Puerto Rico’s communities.
By introducing young people to carpentry at the high school level, PRoTechos aims to create earlier pathways into the skilled trades while encouraging students to see construction as a field where they can learn, contribute, and build future opportunities.
The second edition continues that investment in a new generation of young people who can carry those skills forward.
