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YBUSA FACT SHEET

YouthBuild Louisville: How it works!

Building your life and rebuilding our community!

YouthBuild Louisville is a full-time program that helps young people ages 18-24 earn their high school diploma or GED while getting hands-on training and work experience in the Construction Trades, Professional Medical Careers or Culinary Field. Many of our students have struggled with obstacles that are getting in the way of their path to success – including poverty, violence, abuse, drugs, fear, and lack of support. YouthBuild Louisville offers hope and a second chance to overcome those obstacles. Throughout the program, you will become part of a team and build lasting relationships with other students and staff who are committed to helping you reach your goals in the classroom, on the job site, and in life!

Quick Links

Program Pillars
Career Tracks
Qualifications
How to Apply

YouthBuild Louisville offers a variety of Career Tracks

Career Tracks:
Most YouthBuild students will learn employability skills through Construction Trades, while a limited number of students may also qualify for the Nursing Assistant or Culinary career programs. In each career track, YBL students will learn the importance of showing up on time every single day with a positive attitude – ready to work hard and focus on building a great team. Students who complete a career path will be prepared to enter the workforce with skills and credentials to succeed in high-demand and high-paying careers right after graduation.

Construction

YBLouisville students have the opportunity to build housing for low-income families and individuals in our community while getting career counseling and leadership training that will lead to college or employment. YouthBuild is completely different than a regular high school shop class. Your training starts in the classroom, but then quickly moves off campus to a local job site. Our students will learn about all aspects of residential construction on a real job site, gaining hands-on experience with power tools, deconstruction, foundations, framing walls and roofs, installing doors and windows and interior finishes, siding, and painting. As a pre-apprenticeship program, YouthBuild can help students gain direct entry into many local construction apprenticeship programs while providing the following certifications:

  • PACT Certificate
  • First Aid/CPR Certification
  • HAZMAT Certification
  • OSHA 10 Certification       

Nursing (CNA)

A limited number of YouthBuild students may qualify for the CNA Nursing program where they will have the opportunity to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. In partnership with JCTC, the YouthBuild CNA program allows students to explore the medical field while in the program.

Students will complete 400 hours of classroom instruction focusing on nursing assistant skills, infection control, anatomy and physiology, medical math, and medical terminology. Students will also complete 60 off-site clinical hours in preparation for the Kentucky State NACES NAC license written & skills exam. This career path will lead to direct jobs in the healthcare industry. In fact, through the off-site clinical program, many of our students are able to secure full-time job placements before they even graduate from the program. YB Louisville students will be able to earn the following certifications and credits:

  • Nursing Assistant Certified License
  • First Aid/CPR/AED Certification
  • HIV/AIDS & Blood Borne Pathogens Lifetime Certification
  • Tech Prep credits for Community and Technical Colleges

Culinary

A limited number of YouthBuild students may qualify for the CNA Nursing program where they will have the opportunity to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. In partnership with JCTC, the YouthBuild CNA program allows students to explore the medical field while in the program.

Students will complete 400 hours of classroom instruction focusing on nursing assistant skills, infection control, anatomy and physiology, medical math, and medical terminology. Students will also complete 60 off-site clinical hours in preparation for the Kentucky State NACES NAC license written & skills exam. This career path will lead to direct jobs in the healthcare industry. In fact, through the off-site clinical program, many of our students are able to secure full-time job placements before they even graduate from the program. YB Louisville students will be able to earn the following certifications and credits:

  • Nursing Assistant Certified License
  • First Aid/CPR/AED Certification
  • HIV/AIDS & Blood Borne Pathogens Lifetime Certification
  • Tech Prep credits for Community and Technical Colleges

Qualifications

Students who qualify for YouthBuild Louisville must:

  • Be between ages of 18-24
  • Be able to complete an intense two week orientation (Unpaid)
  • Ready to learn employability skills and earn a stipend
  • Be Drug Free
  • Determined to make positive CHANGES!
  • Open to new challenges
  • Be available Monday – Friday from 8:30am – 4:00pm
  • Be willing to work toward education goals (GED/College & Vocational)
  • Willing to work on construction & environmental projects (Physical labor)
  • Commit to hard work, full participation and a good attitude
  • Be self-motivated & self-disciplined
  • Willing to work in a TEAM setting to accomplish goals with diverse groups
  • Willing to participate in building a stronger community
  • Interested in learning one of our offered career tracks

How to Apply

YES! I meet the qualifications for joining YouthBuild Louisville. What’s next?!

Steps to joining YouthBuild Louisville:

1) Complete the Application: 

Click here for the YouthBuild Student Application!

2) Documentation

You’ll want to start collecting all your documentation right away, to be ready for the next class.  You will need to provide the following documents in order to join the YouthBuild Program.  There are NO EXCEPTIONS.  If you do not have this information your enrollment may be delayed, so it’s important that you start this process so you can join the next class.

If you currently do not have one or more of the items listed below, don’t worry!  Just click on the links provided and start requesting these items from each provider.  It can take a few weeks for them to process and mail out your requested documents, so you’ll want to start NOW!

3)  Interviews & Assessments

Interviews are scheduled based on a first-come-first-serve basis. Once your application has been reviewed, a staff member will contact you to schedule your preliminary interview. You will need to bring two forms of ID and the documents listed above to your interview.  During your interview, you will complete a  TABE test (tests your academic knowledge) and a personal assessment.  A YouthBuild staff member will review the basics of the YouthBuild Program and give you a tour of the facility.  This is your chance to ASK QUESTIONS and see if this is RIGHT FOR YOU!

4)  Mental Toughness

Following in‐person interviews with all applicants, YouthBuild Louisville staff meet to select which applicants they believe would most benefit from the program, and those who seem most likely complete the 10-month program.  The selected applicants are then invited to Mental Toughness [MT].

MT is an intensive, two-week selection process, that is designed to assess and introduce potential participants for the rigors of the YB Louisville training and learning model. MT sessions are the final stage in the application process and determine who will be enrolled as a program participant. Applicants are accepted into MT by demonstrating their motivation to attend YouthBuild, and they must adhere to a series of rules and guidelines to show their dedication to complete the MT training.

During the powerful all-day sessions, participants will be introduced to construction-related experiences, leadership challenges, several team building activities, and staff-led exercises. The purpose of Mental Toughness is to check each applicant’s desire to be in the program and willingness and ability to work hard, follow instructions, and get along with others. Mental Toughness is designed to expose potential participants to the kinds of activities and demands they will encounter once enrolled full time in YouthBuild.

After completing Mental Toughness, students will be chosen to join the next class of YouthBuild Louisville.