YouthBuild St. Louis awarded $1.3M grant to expand workforce training program

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - YouthBuild, a workforce development program launched in St. Louis in 2014, has been awarded a $1.3 million grant to support career training and employment opportunities for young adults.

The grant will fund 60 participants between the ages of 16 and 24 who hold a high school diploma or GED. The program provides a pathway to education, career training and long-term employment through a partnership with Ranken Technical College.

YouthBuild is administered by SLATE, the city’s agency on training and employment.

Program results

SLATE Executive Director Connie Johnson said the program has produced measurable outcomes.

“We had 60 participants, we are proud to announce that 85 percent of those participants have full-time jobs, they are in bona fide industry, credentialed, trained fields and they are doing wonderful,” Johnson said.

Mayor Cara Spencer said the program supports broader goals for the city.

“A critical part of making our city stronger is equipping people with the skills to get good-paying jobs and this program does just that,” Spencer said.

How to apply

Those interested in applying or seeking more information can contact cball@stlworks.com or call (314) 657-3519