Special to the Record
La Colaborativa and North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund (NASCTF) recently announced the expansion of the Chelsea Carpentry Pre-Apprenticeship Program.
La Colaborativa youth at NASCTF facilities.
La Colaborativa has secured a $400,000 grant through the Executive Office of Economic Development’s Community Empowerment and Reinvestment Program to train and equip 20 low-income youth, in collaboration with the City of Chelsea.
“We’re grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration, City of Chelsea, and our close union allies in NASCTF for their steadfast commitment to forging a brighter future for our youth,” said Gladys Vega, CEO of La Colaborativa.
Catering to disadvantaged young adults, ages 16 to 24, in Chelsea, the program signifies a pathway to registered apprenticeships and, ultimately, family sustaining, union careers in the carpentry sector, spurring economic opportunity for our most vulnerable youth.
“Applying our unique model of economic empowerment, this program represents a gateway to gratifying union careers in carpentry, a field that allows youth to contribute to the growth of their
neighborhoods,” said Alex Train, COO of La Colaborativa.
In tandem with the North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund, La Colaborativa will oversee intensive career counseling, job readiness programming, financial literacy education, and vocational training that prepares youth for apprenticeships and employment in the carpentry
field. Acknowledging the multitude of obstacles facing young adults, from the demands of covering rent in a blistering housing market to accessing childcare, La Colaborativa will offer a range of case management and wraparound services, including living wage stipends, transportation, and clothing allowances to ensure all participants, regardless of income, can capitalize on this notable opportunity.
Highlighting applied, hands-on models of learning, the program features classroom based education, coupled with project-based training opportunities, with youth embarking on carpentry
projects in the community, fabricating benches, planters, and public amenities. Following the training program, La Colaborativa will assist participants in preparing for the admissions exam for the carpentry apprenticeship and accessing high wage jobs. The inaugural session of the program resulted in 100 percent of La Colaborativa’s youth gaining entry into valuable union apprenticeship programs.