Two Maine nonprofits will use $2.3M in funding to prepare youth for construction

Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, headquartered in Gorham, and Portland-based LearningWorks have been awarded a total of $2.3 million in federal funding to support and expand the organizations’ YouthBuild programs.

YouthBuild provides at-risk youth, ages 16-24, with education and occupational skill development to obtain employment in construction and other in-demand industries, according to a news release.

Goodwill will receive $1,227,101 in U.S. Department of Labor funds, while LearningWorks will receive $1,080,000.

“This important funding will help to ensure that Goodwill Industries of Northern New England in Gorham and LearningWorks in Portland have the resources they need to prepare students for rewarding careers and assist them in finding good-paying jobs,” U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Angus King, I-Maine, said in the release.

Since 1994, LearningWorks’ nine-month Youth Building Alternatives program has helped high school dropouts transition to adulthood through an alternative education model that includes construction training and other job skill development, according to the nonprofit's website.

The young adults obtain job certifications including ones from the National Center for Construction Education and Research, the U.S. National Restaurant Association and more. Almost all the program participants go on to post-secondary education or career-oriented employment. In addition, the program offers one year of follow-up services to graduates to support their transition to education and the workforce

In YouthBuild programs in the United States and around the globe, low-income young people learn construction skills to help build affordable housing and other community assets such as community centers and schools, according to its website.