Otis College Announces Trades Training Program for High School Students
In the Creative Trades Lab, a free, three-week summer program, students will learn how to design and fabricate outdoor furniture.
Otis College has launched a new summer program for high school students in partnership with the TGR Foundation. The Creative Trades Lab is a paid, three-week experience during which students will collaborate on a real-world project to design and build outdoor furniture.
Harbor Freight’s Tools for Schools program is also involved. The goal is for students to learn through hands-on lessons in woodworking, metal fabrication, and design thinking, allowing them to develop technical skills while working with Otis instructors and industry mentors. Classes will run from Monday, July 13 through Friday, July 31. Applications, which are open now, are due by Sunday, May 17, 2026.
Creative Trades Lab is open to Los Angeles County high school students in grades 10 through 12. As a fully funded program, all instruction, course materials, workshop tools, fabrication supplies, as well as lunch and snacks, are fully covered. Students will also receive a stipend for their participation.
Upon the culmination of the program, the students’ handiwork will be installed in the TGR Learning Lab Los Angeles, a new education center and community space under development on the Lulu’s Place campus in Westchester.
The curriculum for the three-week program is centered around key skills, including:
- Design thinking and concept development
- Woodworking and metal fabrication techniques
- Material selection and sustainable practices
- Using tools and shops safely
- Teamwork and creative problem-solving
In addition to hands-on learning, students will explore career paths in creative industries, many of which rely on skilled trades and account for one in every 10 jobs in California. Students will also participate in guest lectures and site visits and receive mentorship from professionals working in fabrication, design, and creative industries. There will also be career-mapping workshops, help with portfolio and resume development, and an event to showcase the students’ work.
A Comprehensive, Three-Week Program
Creative Trades Lab breaks down each week into specific learning outcomes. During the first week, students will be oriented with the wood and metal shops on Otis’s campus, learning safety protocols and the fundamentals of fabrication. They will begin brainstorming ideas for their projects, develop their designs, and presenting their proposals. All work will be done in groups.
Week two will be focused on fabrication. Using woodworking and metalworking techniques, the teams will construct their projects while learning how to translate design decisions into physical structures.
In week three, students will complete their projects. On Thursday, July 30, they will unveil their projects to the staff of Otis College, TGR Learning Lab, and Lulu’s Place during a public celebration with friends, family members, community partners, and mentors. Each student will earn a digital badge in Design–Build Collaboration, recognizing their mastery of both hard skills (design, fabrication, tool use, project management) and durable skills (teamwork, communication, creative problem-solving, leadership).
Experience in art, design, or fabrication is not required to apply for or attend the Creative Trades Lab. The program is ideal for students with curiosity, motivation, and an interest in exploring career paths in creative building skills. Students will be selected primarily based on the thoughtfulness of the personal statements included in their application, their interest in creative problem-solving, and the potential impact of the program on their educational and career goals.
More information about Creative Trades Lab.
Applications are due May 17, 2026.
