NNPS Pre-Apprenticeship Program Earns Accolades From U.S. Department Of Education

Press release from Newport News Public Schools:

January 19, 2021

NNPS Pre-Apprenticeship Program earns Accolades from U.S. Department of Education

Posted: January 19, 2021

Newport News YouthBuild, a pre-apprenticeship program offered by Newport News Public Schools, is a finalist in the U. S. Department of Education's Rethink Adult Ed Challenge.

The eight-month program, which offers participants academic support in combination with real-world construction trades experience, prepares approximately 20 students for apprenticeships and employment in growing markets in Hampton Roads.

Students in the program earn a weekly stipend and learn not only the skills needed for their trades, but also concepts important for digital and financial literacy, workforce readiness and leadership.

The Rethink Adult Ed Challenge is a $750,000 competition to advance pre-apprenticeships. In the competition, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education invites providers to design programs that better prepare learners for apprenticeships and beyond.

As one of 95 programs recognized, Newport News YouthBuild will progress to Stage 2 of the competition where program administrators will have access to a "virtual accelerator" that will offer digital resources and support from subject matter experts to strengthen the program further.

In June, finalists will be invited to submit more detailed program proposals. A judging panel will select a grand-prize winner that will receive $250,000. Up to five runners-up will receive at least $100,000 each.

Rachel Ambrose, Regional Program Manager for Adult Education, says, "We know how powerful pre-apprenticeship programs are for our students, allowing them access to opportunities in careers they might not have had otherwise. Being recognized by the US DOE validates what we already believed: combining academics with workplace skills and training helps students understand that what they're learning has real-world benefits. We look forward to the support the program will receive from the Virtual Accelerator and hope to make Newport News YouthBuild even stronger as we prepare students for the world of work."

This press release was produced by Newport News Public Schools. The views expressed are the author's own.