Earthshare Construction Hosts Trailblazers Interns
During the summer of 2026, three participants from Vermont Works for Women’s Trailblazers program in Hartford completed hands-on internships with Earthshare Construction.
Trailblazers is VWW’s free training program preparing women and gender-expansive individuals ages 18+ for careers in construction and the trades. The seven-week training provides a safe, non-judgmental environment for participants to build skills, gain confidence, and explore fields that tend to be male-dominated
A key component of each Trailblazers cohort is the internship with a local employer during the final two weeks of the training. These work experiences give participants meaningful time on a job site and a clearer sense of whether a field is the right fit. For many Trailblazers, it’s the moment that confirms what they’ve suspected all along: they’re ready to enter the trades, and there are employers who want them on their crews.
Hosting a Trailblazer is free – all we ask is employers participate in an Inclusive Workplaces workshop facilitated by VWW staff to help ensure job sites are welcoming for everyone. Thanks to our funders, VWW is also able to offer participants a small daily stipend during their internship, to help offset costs from missed work, childcare, or travel.
In our 2026 Hartford Trailblazers cohort, three of the 14 participants who completed on-site internships went to Earthshare Construction. Founded in 2011 by Ethan Cole, Earthshare is an environmentally conscious construction company offering sustainable design/build and contracting for new home construction, retrofits, renovations, and weatherization in the Upper Valley region of Vermont and New Hampshire. As a triple bottom line company, Earthshare is committed not only to profit but also to people and planet.
When asked why they chose to host interns, President Ethan Cole shared,
“The trades are deeply in need of more curious and hardworking people, and we are very supportive of anyone interested in getting into the trades. Programs like Trailblazers that are working to bring more women into the trades are fantastic and we’ve been excited to partner and support those efforts.”
During their time with Earthshare, Trailblazers had the chance to help with framing, demolition, construction of a dormer, and weatherization.
“Hosting Trailblazers interns gave us the chance to meet some really interesting people and help them explore their interests in a field that has been historically hard to break into,” Cole said. “It gave us the opportunity to both teach and learn from new people, and gave us a better understanding of the barriers that people have historically faced when getting into our industry.”
Trailblazers had glowing reviews of working with Earthshare’s crews, noting they felt genuinely welcomed and included. It was clear that thought and care went into the projects they worked on, and that everyone on the crew was prepared and eager to teach them about what they do. One participant reflected,
“I want to share is just how incredible my internship with Earthshare Construction has been. I know I was ’just an intern’, but they never treated me that way. From day one, they made me feel like a valued member of the team. They took the time to answer my questions, explain their thought processes, and genuinely invest in my learning.”
We’re grateful for the partnership and support of the 100+ Vermont employers who have worked with Trailblazers over the past seven years. Trailblazers wouldn’t be possible without our employer partners, who give their time and expertise to provide invaluable experiences for our participants.
If you are or know of an employer looking to partner with Trailblazers, email Robina at rmoyer@vtworksforwomen.org