Most people get into the trades because they know someone.

FirstHand is for everyone who doesn’t.

What FirstHand does

Shops on Long Island host open houses, ride-alongs and meetups. People starting out or switching careers RSVP, show up, meet the crew and see the work. Shops answer everyone who came: invite back, an offer, or an honest “not a fit.”

Once someone is hired, FirstHand keeps their hours. Apprentices log each day from their phone, the shop approves it, and every approved hour builds a record that belongs to the apprentice, not the shop.

How it works for apprentices · How it works for shops

Why Long Island first

A marketplace only works when the other side is close by. So instead of spreading thin across the country, we’re starting with Nassau and Suffolk, where we live and work, and growing from there. If you’re somewhere else, sign up and we’ll let you know when FirstHand reaches you.

What we believe

• Meet in person. A few hours in a shop tells both sides more than any resume.
• Visits aren’t free labor. Events are for meeting and watching. Real work is a paid job.
• Your record is yours. Hours and history go with you from shop to shop.
• No one in the middle. No agencies, no placement fees, no cut of anyone’s wages.
• Free for apprentices, always. Shops pay; the people trying to get in never do.

Get in touch

Questions, ideas, or want FirstHand at your shop? Email kphillips3753@gmail.com.