Cohort training
Hands on the tools from week one
Small cohorts, real components, and instructors who have run service calls across the islands.
Hawaiʻi trade workforce
Skilled trades. Real careers. Built in Hawaiʻi.
HVAC and mechanical training that opens a licensed, well-paid trade career to every resident of these islands. No experience required, no one written off.
5Program pathways
EPA 608+ NATE prep
2020Founded in Aiea
StatewideEvery island in scope
EPA 608 Certification Prep
NATE Readiness
Hawaiʻi Public Benefit Nonprofit
501(c)(3) Determination Pending
Built with Paradise AC LLC
Re-entry & Youth Pathways
A trade is a door. We hold it open.
Kahaunaele Foundation provides workforce training, industry certification support, and direct job placement in HVAC, mechanical, and skilled trades, prioritising Native Hawaiian residents, people returning from incarceration, at-risk young people aged 16–24, and underserved communities across the islands.
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Program pathways, from first tool to first paycheck
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Years of Hawaiʻi trade operating experience behind us
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Islands inside our statewide commitment
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Founded in Aiea, Oʻahu
The work
What this actually looks like
Classroom hours, real equipment, and a contractor network that hires the people we train.
Cohort training
Equipment
The same kit you will carry on the truck
Gauges, recovery machines, and diagnostics, trained on before you are trusted with a customer's system.
“Dignity through work.”Kahaunaele Foundation
Statewide
Oʻahu first, then every island
Five pathways
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02
03
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From zero experience to a licensed trade
Each pathway stands on its own, and they connect. Start where you are.
01
Pre-Apprenticeship
Entry-level training for people new to the trades. Foundational HVAC concepts, jobsite safety, tools, and basic mechanical skills.
Start your training
02
Certification Support
Preparation and materials for EPA 608, NATE, and the Hawaiʻi-specific licensing requirements employers actually ask for.
See what's covered
03
Job Placement
Direct introductions to HVAC contractors and mechanical service companies hiring right now across the islands.
Meet the employers
04
Re-Entry Support
For people returning from incarceration: documentation help, employer education, and advocacy through your first years on the job.
Get re-entry support
05
Mentorship
You get paired with an established trade professional, someone who helps you navigate your early career, the hard days, and the long-term goals.
How mentorship worksNot sure which one fits?
Tell us where you are and we will point you at the right starting line.
Talk to us
How it works
Five steps, no mystery
We tell you the whole path up front: what it costs you, what it asks of you, and what waits at the end.
Begin your application
01
Reach out
A short form or a phone call. No transcripts, no résumé, no fee.
02
Sit down with us
We talk through where you are, what is in the way, and which pathway fits.
03
Train on real equipment
Classroom fundamentals paired with hands-on hours on the systems you will service.
04
Certify
EPA 608 and NATE preparation, plus help with Hawaiʻi licensing paperwork.
05
Get placed, and stay placed
Introductions to hiring contractors, then mentorship through your first years on the job.
Core values
The principles that guide every cohort
On the ground
Hawaiʻi, at work
Your move
Ready to start a trade career?
If you are a Hawaiʻi resident, Native Hawaiian, returning from incarceration, a young person looking for a direction, or an adult ready for a change, we want to hear from you. Applications are free and always will be.
Hawaiʻi public benefit nonprofit · 501(c)(3) determination pending
