ST. LOUIS - Today, the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) announced that the agency has won a $1.1 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to support the St. Louis Youthbuild program. The program facilitates training in high-demand professional areas, like machining and information technology. St. Louis Youthbuild’s efforts are focused in underserved North City communities with high rates of poverty and unemployment, and St. Louis Public Schools will assist SLATE in the identification and outreach of eligible young adults for this program.
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“This funding will help train St. Louis-area youth for the good-paying jobs of the future,” said SLATE Director Howard Hayes. “We look forward to partnering with St. Louis Public Schools and Ranken Technical College to help connect our youth with new career opportunities.”
The St. Louis YouthBuild program fast-tracks participants through collaboration with nationally recognized Ranken Technical College. The institution has over 100 years of experience in the technical and building trades and will continue to serve as the training provider to all participants through a combination of classroom instruction and supervision.
“Ranken Technical College is excited to partner with the City of St. Louis and SLATE on the Department of Labor’s YouthBuild program,” said Ranken Technical College President Donald J. Pohl. “Since 1907, Ranken has provided comprehensive education and training necessary to prepare students for employment and advancement in a variety of technical fields. This partnership is a great opportunity to focus on hands-on training to prepare students for rapid entry into technical careers.”
Every participant in the YouthBuild program will have the opportunity to receive industry-recognized credentials through the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-1) supported SLATE in the effort to win this grant.
“Programs like Youthbuild benefit our entire city by providing opportunities for our young people and building a foundation for our future workforce,” said Congresswoman Cori Bush. “I’m proud of the work our office did to bring these much needed dollars into our district, and I look forward to our continued partnership with Mayor Jones on programs that prioritize frontline communities, and especially our youth. Together, we will create a more equitable St. Louis where every person has the chance to live a joyous and prosperous life.”
Mayor Tishaura O. Jones has made youth programming and jobs a focal point of her administration, allocating $5 million of $80 million initial American Rescue Plan Act funds (ARPA) towards youth programming and jobs to keep the city’s youth engaged and safe this summer and beyond.
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