This past summer HCATF recognized 21 young people across Hawaii who successfully completed the Career Connections summer internship program. The six-week paid experience gives young people the opportunity to work alongside construction professionals and see firsthand what it takes to build a career in the skilled trades. Interns worked with signatory contractors on projects ranging from housing to hospitality.
The 2026 class included 13 interns on Oahu, 7 on Kauai and 1 on Maui — 21 interns total. Each intern completed a 6-week paid experience.
Intern Spotlight: Rane Kawakami
“The classroom learning helps you prepare, but nothing compares to working on an active job site and seeing how you’re contributing to a structure or building,” Kawakami said.
For Rane Kawakami, a recent high school graduate who spent the summer working with contractor Albert C. Kobayashi, Career Connections provided the confirmation he needed. Following graduation from the summer program, Kawakami plans to continue into an apprentice carpenter career.
