Rep. Terri Sewell announced that the greater Birmingham region will receive over $4.2 million in grant funding from the United States Department of Labor (DOL) for job training and educational opportunities for at-risk youth. The funding is awarded through DOL’s YouthBuild program and will be used to develop apprenticeship and other career pathway models that help prepare at-risk youth for jobs in construction and other in-demand industries.
The awards are part of a $90 million investment to grow America’s clean energy workforce with education and training for young adults. Sixty-eight grants were awarded to organizations in 28 states and Puerto Rico. Participants will engage in classroom learning that will prepare them for work-based learning opportunities, building and rehabilitating affordable housing for low-income or homeless families in their communities.
Additionally, the YouthBuild funding announcement included criteria that awarded bonus points to applicants that demonstrated their ability to provide training in green construction techniques, training the next generation of workers for resilience and clean energy careers of the future.
The following organizations were named as recipients of DOL’s YouthBuild grant program:
- Bessemer Housing Authority – $1,500,000
- Housing Authority of Birmingham District (HABD) – $1,500,000
- Cornerstone Revitalization Foundation – $1,259,237
Sewell expressed excitement for the funding and its investment in youth. “I’m thrilled that the greater Birmingham region will be receiving over $4.2 million from the Department of Labor!” stated Rep. Sewell. “This announcement is truly a win-win for our community. By connecting at-risk youth with job training and education, this funding will provide our most vulnerable young adults with the resources they need to succeed, all while growing our green energy workforce. Once again, I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for making transformational investments in our community!”
“We are delighted to be awarded the Department of Labor YouthBuild Grant to help provide the youth of Bessemer, Alabama with additional resources, furthering their education and preparing them to become productive citizens in our community,” commented Courtney Coleman, Executive Director of the Bessemer Housing Authority. “We believe these funds along with our community partners will work together to ‘Build Better Lives’ and ‘Deliver Hope,’ which is the mission here at the Bessemer Housing Authority.”
HABD Board Chairman Dr. Anthony Hood stated, “This is a monumental win for our agency. This award allows us to equip our most promising youth with the tools needed to thrive in an ever-competitive workforce. The demand for skilled trades and apprenticeships has never been stronger, and this grant allows us to place our young people on a direct path to the careers of the future.”
YouthBuild programs also train young people for employment in healthcare, information technology, manufacturing and logistics, culinary arts, and hospitality.
