U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
FREE SERVICEA community-based pre-apprenticeship programme for young people aged 16 to 24 who left school without a diploma. Participants work toward a high school diploma or equivalency while learning construction trades, and the construction work is real — building or rehabilitating affordable housing for low-income or homeless families in their own neighbourhoods. Programmes provide supportive services such as transportation, childcare and equipment. It is a route into the trades for someone the education system has already lost, without tuition debt.
Ages 16 to 24, out of school without a secondary diploma. YouthBuild is delivered by local grantee organisations, so availability depends entirely on whether one operates near you and when its next cohort starts — the DOL page lists grantees. Cohorts are intake-based, not rolling, so find the start date before you plan around it.
Apply at the official source →← more like this · all programmes
Not financial or legal advice. Program terms change — verify eligibility, amounts, and deadlines with the administering agency before acting.