Hartford nonprofit Community Renewal Team (CRT) has been awarded a $1.2 million federal grant to accelerate its youth job training program.
CRT said the funding from the U.S. Department of Labor is meant to support 67 teens and young adults, ages 18 to 24, from Hartford and East Hartford enrolled in its YouthBuild program.
Founded in 2009, the program has connected hundreds of local youths to secondary education or job-skilling training opportunities, often leading to careers in construction or health care.
The federal funding will allow CRT to add a “Construction Plus” training program over the three-year grant, ensuring that 32 students will be enrolled and complete construction skills training over the period, officials say.
The newly minted training program will also include certified nurse assistant (CNA) training for 20 students through Hartford’s Capital Community College. It will also support the selection of certified classes and job training for 15 students through East Hartford’s Goodwin University.
“The Community Renewal Team has been a positive influence on Connecticut families for years and grants like these go a long way to keep formal training and mentorship programs going,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said in a statement.
As previously reported, YouthBuild participants are part of a so-called “untapped talent” pool that workforce-development officials say is critical to jumpstarting Connecticut’s economy and helping employers fill thousands of open jobs in high-demand industries including construction, nursing and manufacturing, among others.
CRT’s YouthBuild program is one of a few dozen programs in Connecticut — funded by state, federal and nonprofit dollars — that aim to improve job training opportunities for this population.
