MBC Reaches Out to Youth with Building Futures Program

Building Futures is a program designed to provide an intensive, ongoing mentorship program for at-risk youth that will develop career and entrepreneurial aspirations in the building and construction industries.

This program is in response to decades of disinvestment in California K-12 schools, falling hardest on schools in lower-income districts and communities of color. Many youth in low-income and minority school districts view themselves as locked out of any desirable, family supporting career opportunities in Silicon Valley. Youth who do not seeing themselves as valued, worthy and with future potential are highly likely to drop out of school.

As the economy is revitalized, the construction industry is going through a transformation with a shift toward green building construction, energy efficiency and computerized design systems. It is expected that In the next ten years there will be large work shortages as people retire and historically low numbers of young people enter the trades.

Seeing the high demand for a new generation of construction workers the Minority Business Consortium (MBC) with funding from the Avante Foundation and in collaboration with Eastside Unified School District, the building trades, Working Partnerships, USA and community resources like Job Corp and Imani Village is creating a "learn-while-you-go" program that combines classroom instruction with hands on experience in design, production and sales of hand-made items. Youth identified as candidates for the program will be provided with shop experience, family and student support services and on-going mentorship to aid them in achieving their goals.

The Building Futures applied program provides a golden opportunity for at-risk youth to gain business, marketing and construction experience and puts within reach well-paying careers with a high value on skilled hands-on work.