WASHINGTON– U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced today that the U.S. Department of Labor will allocate YouthBuild Grants to three Minnesota organizations, totaling $3,270,674 in funding. The recipients are Asian Media Access of Minneapolis ($1,100,000), Goodwill Industries, Inc. of St. Paul ($1,070,674), and Tree Trust of St. Louis Park ($1,100,000).

“There isn’t one path to success, there are many,” said Senator Klobuchar. “Right now, we have businesses that need workers. And we have workers that need jobs. YouthBuild Grants, and the organizations that receive these grants, help create programs to connect workers with the education and training they need to match up with in-demand careers.”

“Every Minnesotan deserves the opportunity to get the skills they need to get a solid, good-paying job,” said Senator Smith. “YouthBuild provides a strong foundation for young people to learn valuable skills and improve their future job opportunities--this is a wise investment in Minnesotans and in our local communities, with real benefits for Minneapolis, St. Paul, and St. Louis Park.” 

YouthBuild is an education and training program with a strong pre-apprenticeship component that helps at-risk youth complete high school or state equivalency degree programs, earn industry-recognized credentials for in-demand occupations, and undergo training to build housing for low-income or homeless individuals and families in their communities. Specifically, these awards allow grantees to offer training in locally in-demand industries beyond the required construction training, such as health care, information technology, hospitality and retail services, and logistics. 

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