Career & College Academy wins $1.035M YouthBuild grant

Career & College Academy in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, has received a $1,035,000 U.S. Department of Labor YouthBuild grant to expand hands-on construction training, paid work experience and apprenticeship pathways for students 16 and older. The award extends a program that connects high school learning to credentials, employers and postsecondary options.

Why it matters: - The $1,035,000 federal grant helps Career & College Academy keep funding a pathway that blends school, paid work and job training. - The award supports students who are building skills for construction, apprenticeships, college, technical training and other careers after high school. - The grant also adds support for AI literacy, a new requirement in the 2026 federal YouthBuild initiative.

What happened: - Career & College Academy received a $1,035,000 YouthBuild grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. - The award supports the school’s Construction & Trades YouthBuild Pathway in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. - The grant continues federal support for Elkhorn YouthBuild after a previous $827,964 Department of Labor award in 2023.

The details: - Eligible students age 16 and older spend part of the school day in core academics and part in hands-on training. - The six-month program includes active construction and community service job sites. - Students earn paid experience in construction and the skilled trades. - Participants can earn industry-recognized credentials including OSHA-10, NCCER and CPR. - The program also covers employability, financial literacy, leadership and workplace skills. - Students connect with local employers and explore apprenticeships and future career options. - Through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Walworth County, students help build a single-family home for a local family. - Career & College Academy continues working with YouthBuild participants for 12 months after the program ends. - That follow-up support helps students move into jobs, apprenticeships, college, technical training, military service or other opportunities. - In 2023, Career & College Academy said its prior grant had helped provide construction and employability-skills education to more than 50 students. - The school said that earlier funding also supported construction of an affordable single-family home. - The school’s YouthBuild motto is: “When we build good things, they end up building us.” - Students and families can learn more at careercollegeacademywi.org.

Between the lines: - The new federal award signals continued support for pre-apprenticeship models that tie classroom learning to real work experience. - The added AI literacy requirement shows YouthBuild is being pushed to reflect changes in the labor market, not just traditional trades training. - The longer post-program follow-up suggests the school is trying to turn short-term training into longer-term placement outcomes.

What's next: - Career & College Academy will keep running Elkhorn YouthBuild under the new grant. - Students are expected to continue moving into apprenticeships, employment and postsecondary training after the program. - The school’s federal partnership may position the pathway for more growth if student outcomes remain strong.

The bottom line: - The new grant gives Career & College Academy another year of federal backing to connect high school, hands-on construction training and a direct route into skilled careers.