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New Memphis program pushes young adults to pursue construction trade jobs with free training

A Memphis organization received $1.2 million to help encourage and educate a new generation of trades workers.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) A Memphis organization received $1.2 million to help encourage and educate a new generation of trades workers.

The South Memphis Renewal CDC received the funding from the U.S. Department of Labor for it its ‘YouthBuild Memphis 2019′ program.

YouthBuild is a community-based program that helps at-risk youth, who have previously dropped out of high school, by providing them job training and educational opportunities.

With that money, YouthBuild is launching a new and free vocational initiative for trades and entrepreneurship.

It’s a 16-week program with hands-on training to lead towards pre-certification and pre-apprenticeships in construction trade work. During that time, students will work on a home build site and two home renovation projects.

YouthBuild is looking for up to 40 young adults ages 16 to 24 to start in late July. It’s open to Memphis and Shelby County residents.

Every child is not going to college and kids need a skill. This will give them a skill leading to HVAC, in carpentry, or plumbing, and those are skills people cannot take away, YouthBuild Project Director Jeffrey Higgs said.

Higgs said it’s completely free. They’ll also help students that dropped out obtain their GED. Higgs added that they want to put young adults on a path to a lifelong skill that can lead to top-dollar careers.

For more information on the project and how to get involved, visit YouthBuild’s website HERE.

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