The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U. S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department, or we), announces the availability of approximately $89 million in grant funds authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) (Pub.
L.
113-128) for YouthBuild.
Under
credit:
this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), DOL will award grants through a competitive process to organizations providing pre-apprenticeship services that support education, occupational skills training, and employment services to at-risk youth, ages 16 to 24, while performing meaningful work and service to their communities.
In addition to construction skills training, YouthBuild applicants may include occupational skills training in other in-demand industries.
This expansion into additional in-demand industries is the Construction Plus component, a priority in this grant competition.
The YouthBuild model balances project-based academic learning and occupational skills training to prepare at-risk youth for career placement.
The academic component assists youth who are often significantly behind in basic skill development in obtaining a high school diploma or state high school equivalency credential.
The occupational skills training component prepares at-risk youth for apprenticeship and other career pathways and/or further education or training.
It also supports the goal of increasing affordable housing within communities by teaching youth construction skills learned by building or significantly renovating homes for sale or rent to low-income families or transitional housing for homeless families or individuals.