The Trade Labor Shortage Isn’t a Skills Gap. It’s a Mindset Gap.
The skilled trades have suffered from crippling turnover. We don’t just teach technical skills; we consult the candidate to define their career vision from Entry Level to Mastery, creating an employee who is truly vested in showing up and outperforming the average worker.
We are here to stabilize the local labor market by proving that investing in their understanding of what’s available increases retention and a desire to build a career the trades industries.
57%
57% of retiring Baby Boomers reported sharing less than half of the knowledge needed to perform their job responsibilities with their replacements.
$1 Trillion
The total economic impact of unfilled manufacturing positions due to the skills gap could exceed $1 trillion by 2030 due to lost production time.
70%
70% of employers report difficulty finding qualified workers to fill skilled trade roles.
Our Mission
Recalibrating the Standard
At Recalibration Impact, we believe in the power of trades to empower young adults and veterans. We focus on growth and opportunity.
Our work is about cultivating agency and creating a legacy. Through our Ignite Initiative, we provide personalized career roadmaps that guide individuals from entry-level positions to ownership roles. We advocate for the trades, addressing workforce gaps and connecting passionate young adults and veterans with businesses that value their growth. By fostering strong partnerships and building a network of Legacy Guild members, we aim to inspire a new generation of skilled workers. Together, we’re shaping a brighter future for the trades and ensuring a lasting impact on our communities.
Ready to Partner With Recalibration Impact?
FOR EMPLOYERS: Hire A Vested Candidate
FOR FUNDERS: View Our Economic Impact Report
FOR CANDIDATES & SCHOOLS: Apply for The Ignite Initiative
Understanding the Mission
A: Trade schools teach the “hardware” (technical skills). We teach the “software” (mindset, resilience, soft skills). We partner with trade schools and employers to bridge the mindset gap that causes turnover.
A: Our core beneficiaries are Transitioning Veterans and Opportunity Youth (18-25) in the Greater Orlando area—two populations highly motivated for debt-free, sustainable careers.
A: We define success by retention and economic mobility. Our goal is to achieve a 90% Job Retention KPI for our graduates after one year, along with a documented wage increase, proving the economic ROI for our employer partners.
The Ignite Initiative:
Your Impact roadmap
We are working on developing a meticulously crafted, comprehensive process that acts as a personal roadmap, moving you from Agency to Cultivation to Legacy.
01.
AGENCY
The vision
The Problem: “I’m just turning a wrench.”
The Ignite Fix: We partner with the candidate to draw out their vision. We map a career path that aligns their personal goals with professional trade success. They don’t just show up; they buy in.
02.
CULTIVATION
The Drive
The Problem: “I’m doing the bare minimum.”
The Ignite Fix: We unpack Professional Resilience and the desire to outperform the average worker. We replace the “employee” mindset with an “owner” mindset.
03.
LEGACY
The Future
The Problem: “I don’t see a future here.”
The Ignite Fix: We show them the endgame—mastery, business ownership, and economic stability. We turn job hoppers into career lifers.
Building a Foundation That Lasts
Graduation from The Ignite Initiative is only the first step. Every graduate gains lifetime access to The Legacy Guild—an exclusive, peer-to-peer network dedicated to supporting members’ growth from entry-level employee to business owner.
Founder’s Advocacy & Credibility
“I didn’t just spend 20 years in the trades; I spent 20 years observing the mindset that creates—or destroys—a career.”
I am D.J. Weems, a Master ASE Certified Technician and U.S. Marine Corps Veteran. My hands-on experience in automotive, diesel, and heavy equipment showed me that the most expensive part of any job is an employee with no Agency.
The crisis in Trade Industries isn’t about not finding people—it’s about finding people who are vested. I founded Recalibration Impact because I saw the poor mentorship and lack of vision driving talent away.
We don’t just teach trade skills; we teach the soft skills of resilience, communication, and accountability. This is the Marine Corps discipline applied to the trades. My mission is to ensure every worker sees themselves not as a laborer, but as the architect of their own economic destiny.
Dj Weems
Impact Partner
Recalibration Impact 