For more information

Larry Ridley
YouthBuild Program
Director

(408) 287-9919 x24

TOOLS FOR LIFE

At YouthBuild San Jose young men and women learn the skills they need to succeed in the workforce. Youth ages 17 to 24 attend a combination of classroom and hands-on training to prepare for a career in the high-wage construction industry. The classroom component consists of diploma-based education and vocational instruction in the building trades. Hands-on training is performed while constructing, rehabilitating and weatherizing low-income housing throughout San Jose.

Safety is the main topic of the YouthBuild vocational component. The completion of forty hours of safety instruction that includes safe tool usage, material handling, accident prevention and good housekeeping is required of YouthBuild trainees prior to them working on the jobsite. All of theses lessons are continued on the jobsite with weekly safety meetings.

Another extremely important component of the YouthBuild program is the hands-on experience. We have found that once our trainees learn to work with their hands, they gain the confidence in themselves needed to succeed. Along with this new confidence comes the ability to try new things they may never have thought possible.

With the Affordable Housing Development component of the YouthBuild program we are able to produce much needed affordable single-family homes for purchase by low-income residents of San Jose. To date we have completed construction of three single family homes and are well into the construction of a 7-house development in the Blossom Hill area of San Jose. This development, named Hennessy Place, is being constructed entirely by YouthBuild students and their qualified Construction Trainers. The current stock of affordable housing in San Jose needs to be increased exponentially. Since the start of the YouthBuild San Jose program, we have assisted in the construction, weatherization and rehabilitation of over 500 units of low-income housing.

Upon graduation, YouthBuild trainees are placed in full-time unsubsidized employment. Most YouthBuild graduates are placed into building trades apprenticeship programs, including; carpenters, plumbers and electricians. Those graduates who do not choose apprenticeship programs are placed into other employment of their choice, including; the building industry, manufacturing and service industry positions. Continuing education through community college or other post secondary options is also a conduit to success that is available to program graduates.

Through the introduction and educational emphasis on “Tools for Life”, YouthBuild San Jose affords young men and women of San Jose the opportunity to become successful and contributing members of the community.