Urban Alliance Receives $2.5 Million Grant From Dept. of Labor for Workforce-Based Training and Job Readiness

Rising high school seniors to receive IT training and paid work experience

WASHNGTON, DC, JULY 15, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Labor will award a $2.5 million Workforce Pathways for Youth grant to Urban Alliance (UA), a national nonprofit that connects young people to paid internships, workforce training and career pathways. The Workforce Pathways for Youth program expands job training and workforce activities for youth, including soft-skill development, career exploration, job readiness and certification, summer jobs, year-round job opportunities and apprenticeships in out-of-school time organizations nationwide. 

With the grant, Urban Alliance will expand its 11th and 12th grade programming in its four regions—the Greater Washington, DC area (including Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Northern Virginia), Baltimore, Chicago, and Detroit—as well as launch 12th grade programming in a new region. In addition, UA will sub-contract and award $225,000 to Byte Back’s Digital Navigators partnership in DC to connect 20 rising 12th grade students with IT training and paid work experience at senior residential centers starting in the Summer of 2023.  

“The Department of Labor Workforce Pathways for Youth grant is indicative of how Urban Alliance’s mission aligns with the agency’s commitment to young people. Expanding job training and professional skills development will expose youth to workforce readiness and career-related services,” said Elizabeth Lindsey, CEO of Urban Alliance. “We are excited to grow the impact of our 12th grade internship program, particularly for young adults seeking to enter the workforce directly after high school, to replicate our 11th grade programming into the Detroit and Baltimore regions for the first time, and to collaborate with our partner Byte Back to help young adults become better prepared to enter the workforce.”  

“We are excited about the opportunity to partner with Urban Alliance to support the workforce development and career readiness of high potential youth. For the past 25 years, Byte Back has been hyper-focused on preparing individuals for the future of work; this partnership helps us amplify our impact,” said Byte Back CEO Joe Paul. 

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About Urban Alliance 
Since 1996, Urban Alliance has connected more than 6,000 young people to paid internships and 23,000 more with workforce training and professional development. Through its flagship High School Internship Program, Urban Alliance connects approximately 500 students annually to paid internship experiences with more than 200 employers across the Greater Washington, DC area, Baltimore, Chicago, and Detroit. Over the course of a year, a high school senior can gain 500 hours of paid work experience and receive 100 hours of skills training, professional development, and mentoring. One hundred percent of UA interns graduate from high school with a post-high school plan, and 88% of students plan to attend college. Visit www.urbanalliance.org and follow us @UrbanAlliance on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  

About Byte Back 

Since 1997, Byte Back has served thousands of adults by helping graduates gain valuable tech skills, launch successful careers, and become part of the growing digital economy. Closing the digital divide through tech training gives people hope and opens doors to living-wage jobs. To learn more, please visit https://byteback.org 

 
Media Contact: Maria Ibanez / mibanez@theurbanalliance.org