RYE, New Hampshire — Bring Back the Trades (BBTT), a nonprofit that empowers the next generation of skilled tradespeople, is celebrating its first-ever Massachusetts Skills Expo, held at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough and presented by F.W. Webb Company.
More than 3,000 attendees filled the stadium concourse to explore 100 interactive exhibits that brought the trades to life — turning one of New England’s most iconic venues into a hands-on celebration of opportunity, connection, and craftsmanship.
“Seeing Gillette Stadium filled with students, families, and professionals all there to celebrate the trades was unforgettable,” said Shana Brunye, chief operations officer of Bring Back the Trades. “This event showed that the trades aren’t a fallback, they’re a foundation. They build communities, careers, and confidence. That’s what this movement is all about.”
From welding simulators and robotics to live construction builds, plumbing demos, and aviation displays, the Gillette Skills Expo gave attendees a true taste of the trades. Students met the people behind the work — those who build, fix, wire, weld, and power the world around us — and discovered how those careers can lead to stability, purpose, and pride.
The main stage featured Aaron Witt (BuildWitt), Demi Knight Clark (She Built This City), and Leon Garrett (Kenco Plumbing & Drains), with a guest appearance from two-time champion and New England Patriots alum Rob Ninkovich, who has a family history tied to iron working.
During the event, BBTT also awarded $25,000 broken down into ten scholarships granted to students pursuing careers in fields like plumbing, automotive, aviation, and construction management.
“I grew up around the trades — my grandfather’s in the trades, my friends are in the trades,” said Nicolas Eaton, a scholarship recipient from Rhode Island studying plumbing. “It just feels right for me. The trades are the way to go.”
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At the heart of the Expo’s success was collaboration. Local and national organizations — including F.W. Webb Company, Casella Waste Systems, Eastern Propane & Oil, Kenco Plumbing & Drains, Lighthouse Credit Union, Noso Labs, and Optiline Enterprises — and dozens of vocational programs joined forces to show what happens when education and industry come together to build the future workforce.
“This event was proof of what can happen when businesses and educators work side by side to inspire the next generation,” said Steve Turner, founder and chief executive officer of Bring Back the Trades. “Every demo, every conversation, every connection at Gillette helped someone see what’s possible — and that’s exactly what we set out to do.”
“At F.W. Webb, we believe the skilled trades are the backbone of every community,” added Sean Davis, vice president of marketing at F.W. Webb Company. “Partnering with Bring Back the Trades lets us connect directly with students and families — to show that a career in the trades can offer not just great pay, but pride, purpose, and lasting opportunity.”
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