From the carpenters that build our infrastructure, to the electricians that keep us powered up, tradesmen and women's hard work is vital to our society.

Like many fields, the trades are experiencing a shortage of workers, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of tradesmen and women aspiring to join the workforce. For this story, we looked to the next generation of those learning their tools of the trade right here in Framingham, at Keefe Regional Technical School.

Keefe Tech is a vocational school that allows its students to pursue their chosen trade with hands-on learning. Across the board--from metal fabrication to plumbing and HVAC--school officials, teachers, and students all stressed the value of learning with their hands.