Pre Apprentice Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Ground Up Trade and Talent Solutions (GUTTS) operates as both a for‐profit workforce placement program and a nonprofit training organization through the GUTTS Opportunity and Impact Fund. Together, these entities expand access to living‐wage careers in the skilled trades.

Our mission is to bridge the gap between promising talent who want to learn the skills of a tradesperson and quality employers who invest in their people.

We serve men and women seeking a trade career path that leads to stability and long‐term growth. Our focus is on engaging students from diverse backgrounds, including individuals transitioning out of the military, aging out of foster care, and those facing socioeconomic barriers. As an approved training provider for the State of Virginia, GUTTS prepares students for entry‐level roles in the Plumbing, HVAC, and soon‐to‐launch Electrical trades through accredited, industry‐aligned programs — all of which are in high demand. After training, GUTTS places graduates with companies where they can build meaningful careers and help employers grow, all at a reasonable placement fee.

Compensation

Compensation: $50,000 base, $300 per month vehicle allowance + 15% commission on each job placement achieved. Placement fee to companies $2,500; commission $375. KPI minimum: 8 students obtain employment monthly. GUTTS usually has 10–16 graduates per month who need a new start.

Total compensation $50,000 + $3,600 + $33,000 = $86,600 (This is based on 10 placements for 11 months; December is tough to get people hired in the trades. If 12 people are placed in 11 months, commission = $41,250. Possible to have 20–24 placements monthly.)

Reports To

CEO, Dan McGuire

Lead Instructor, Don Haycraft

The Role

GUTTS needs a closer who can sell two audience members on the same mission.

One day you are convincing a veteran or career‐changer that a skilled trade is their path forward and enrolling them. Another day you are sitting across from a contractor with open jobs, pitching our graduates as the solution. You fill the pipeline on one end and clear it on the other.

We operate at startup speed. Our mission guides everything we do: Train. Place. Prosper.

What You Will Do

Fill the Student Pipeline

• Manage leads through scheduling facility tours, assisting with assessments, and completing enrollment.
• Build referral relationships with veteran groups, workforce agencies, and community partners.
• Attend job fairs and community events.
• Run outreach campaigns targeting veterans, women, career‐changers, and at‐risk youth.

Sell the Graduates

• Package and pitch graduating students to employers through site visits and direct outreach.
• Build standing placement pipelines across Plumbing, HVAC, and the upcoming Electrical program.
• Coordinate interviews and close placements.

Keep Both Sides Winning

• Coach students on interview readiness and workplace expectations.
• Conduct 45‐day follow‐ups with graduates and employers to support retention.
• Track all activities and outcomes in the CRM.

What Makes You a Fit

• You have sold before — jobs, services, relationships — and you know how to close.
• You would rather be at a job site or job fair than behind a desk.
• You build relationships quickly and maintain them — with a 19–29‐year‐old exploring a trade and a 50‐year‐old contractor solving labor shortages.
• Entrepreneurial, self‐starting, mission‐driven.
• Trades knowledge and DC‐metro familiarity are a plus, not required.

The GUTTS Program includes Plumbing and HVAC Pre-Apprentice and soon to launch Electrical Courses that provide individuals with classroom and lab training segueing into jobs and apprenticeships. After completing the course, GUTTS provides students with Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC) Certificate and GUTTS State of Virginia Department of Professional Occupational Regulation (DPOR) Certification of 72 Hours toward accredited pre-apprenticeship and a tool bag with all the hand tools needed start on their first day as an apprentice.

GUTTS is licensed by the DPOR as a continuing education provider for the PHCC Plumbing Apprentice course and PHCC HVAC Apprentice course. GUTTS is located at 11170 Main St., Suite 200, Fairfax, VA 22030. http://www.gutts.tech/