Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced that The Housing Authority of Baltimore City will receive a grant of $1,050,160 for its YouthBuild Program from The U.S Department of Labor. The YouthBuild program is a workforce and community development program that serves youth ages 16-24. The target population for YouthBuild is high school dropouts who may be youth aging out of foster care, youth with disabilities, adjudicated youth or other at-risk youth.
“To strengthen our economy and local communities, we cannot afford to let anyone fall through the cracks. Every student should have an opportunity to build the job skills they need to help them succeed and move our city and our nation forward in the 21st Century. Investing in Baltimore’s young people is a solid investment in the future of Maryland,” said Senator Cardin.
“My top priority is jobs,” Senator Mikulski said. “I believe that in America, if you’re ready to work and want a job, you should have one. Grants like these are investments in our young people to help them acquire the skills, training and education they need to succeed.”
YouthBuild mixes academic instruction and job training leading to the completion of a high school diploma or GED. Participants receive an opportunity to gain industry-recognized credentials in construction trades while gaining hands-on experience in the construction industry.
This is the second YouthBuild competition which allows the expansion of occupational skills training beyond construction into other in-demand sectors. This expanded training, or Construction Plus, will focus on in-demand occupations within the healthcare, computer technology and advanced manufacturing sectors. Programs must also demonstrate the integration of leadership development and community service to ensure that youth maintain a connection to their local community through service learning and volunteerism.
