Two weeks. One new trade. One new business.
How Training Works
Each session runs two weeks, Monday through Friday, ten hours a day. Participants learn the basics of residential, commercial, and industrial painting from experienced tradespeople — the same kind of hands-on instruction our founder received during his 11 years as a union painter. Weekends are reserved entirely for family: no classes, no schedule, just time to rest, revive, and reconnect.
What's Included
- Basic and intermediate painting trade instruction, residential, commercial, and industrial
- Formation of a brand new LLC for every participant by the end of the two weeks
- A package of professional tools - everything from brushes to drop cloths, enabling a first paid job immediately after training
- Family lodging and camping for the full two weeks
- Meals provided for the whole family
The Land We're Building Toward
To make this a true family experience, Upward Spiral Foundation is working to acquire at least 100 acres of land touching a fresh water river — land like what borders the Little Piney River near Ft. Leonard Wood. The vision includes shelter from the heat, water activities for families while one parent trains, and evening music and gathering space so the two weeks feel like something the whole family looks forward to, not just the trainee. This land has not yet been acquired — it's the foundation's next major goal.