The U.S. Department of Labor has announced that two Mississippi organizations were awarded up to a total of $3 million in grants as part of an effort to support and expand YouthBuild programs across the country.
The department awarded $1,499,999 to the CLIMB Community Development Corp. in Gulfport, Mississippi; and $1.5 million to the West Jackson Community Development Corp. in Jackson, Mississippi.
YouthBuild provides at-risk youth ages 16-24 with education and occupational skill development to obtain employment in construction and other in-demand industries.
“Job training and education are key to preparing our nation’s young men and women for economic success,” U.S. Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia said. “By investing in these local workforce development programs, the department is expanding opportunities for at-risk youth in communities across the country.”
“YouthBuild programs have the ability to change the lives of thousands of American students,” said Assistant Secretary for the Employment and Training Administration John Pallasch. “Today’s announcement will provide new opportunities for young people across the country to take the first step toward good-paying careers.”
The department has administered the YouthBuild program since 2006. Program participants learn construction skills while constructing or rehabilitating affordable housing for low-income or homeless families in their own neighborhoods, as well as other occupational skills for in-demand industries that also require real-world work experience components. Young people split their time between the occupational skills training site and the classroom, where they earn their high school diploma or equivalency degree and prepare for postsecondary opportunities.
For additional information on the Department of Labor’s YouthBuild program, visit https://www.doleta.gov/Youth_services/YouthBuild.cfm.
For additional information on grant eligibility and how to apply for funds, visit http://www.grants.gov.
The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.
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