Field Ready Training Academy is doing more than teaching skilled trades. Based in Hampton, South Carolina, the organization is building a broader platform for workforce development, entrepreneurship and storytelling in the trades — one designed to open doors for future workers while honoring the value and history of hands-on careers.
Led by Aaron Anderson, Field Ready came to NCGrowth this spring with an ambitious vision: grow its impact beyond the classroom while creating the systems needed to support that growth. The organization wanted to explore a signature convening that could raise visibility and attract partners, while also strengthening the back-end systems required to communicate with and onboard students more effectively as the program expands.
In response, NCGrowth worked with Field Ready to develop both strategy and infrastructure.
On the strategic side, the team created a concept and feasibility brief for a future Black Trades Conference — an event envisioned to celebrate education, workforce development, entrepreneurship and African American history in the skilled trades. Deliverables included a conference program framework, a narrative and messaging strategy, a partnership and sponsor prospect list, and a sponsor-ready pitch deck grounded in research on potential locations, regional partners and the role artificial intelligence may play in the future of the trades.
On the operational side, NCGrowth helped Field Ready prepare for growth by mapping its full student pipeline and designing a scalable communications and onboarding system. That work included a GoHighLevel-to-LearnDash automation, a post-course feedback survey workflow, and ready-to-use email, text and social media templates to support recruitment, enrollment and follow-up.
Together, those tools gave Field Ready a stronger foundation for its next chapter: one that combines inspiration with execution.
The work was led by NCGrowth Project Manager Kellye Whitaker, with support from analysts Markia Ash and Jaquail Durham. For Ash, the project offered a crash course in the trades industry and an opportunity to build out marketing automations in a new context. Durham applied his curriculum development skills while gaining exposure to the trades world and building new industry connections.
Looking ahead, Field Ready plans to use the feasibility brief, conference framework and pitch deck to pursue future sponsors and partners, while rolling out its new automated systems to strengthen student recruitment and communication. The project reflects NCGrowth’s commitment to helping mission-driven organizations move from vision to action — and build systems that support lasting impact.
