Page 8 - Stuff Made and Built in Delaware 2020
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                 young adults ages 18 to 24 who have
a “barrier to entry,” including a prior criminal record, poverty, homelessness or lack of necessary skills.
It is a paid trainee program, meaning applicants can earn a modest stipend while learning job readiness skills, connecting with any needed case- management help, and gaining on- site carpentry and millwork training. The Challenge Program primarily rehabilitates low-income housing
for local government and nonprofit agencies, but also periodically works on select creative projects from partners.
The program has a rolling enrollment, although it typically accepts around 25 students a year, McKnight says.
“We stick with our clients until they are job-ready, and that differs from one kid to another,” he explains. “We’re trying to get them to show up on time, get their ID in order, be able to pass drug tests and have transportation. We help them obtain flagger and forklift certifications and some OSHA safety certifications, but really what we’re teaching them is reliability.”
While The Challenge Program receives a number of references for potential clients and others from word
Photo courtesy of Zip Code Wilmington
of mouth, McKnight says that demand constantly outstrips enrollment. For those who are able to enroll, it can mean a life-changing opportunity. McKnight says roughly 60% to 70%
of participants leave the public assistance system completely with a job.
“We find the real trick is not just getting them turned around, but it’s that we stick with them so that they have a place to go when they run into the hurdles that are inevitably going to come up,” he says, noting that before the pandemic, former students returned almost daily to chat.
Short-Term Financial Sacrifice, Long-Term Results
Another nonprofit that offers opportunity is Year Up, which runs a yearlong training program for high school graduates ages 18 to 24 who live in a low- to moderate-income home. It focuses on desired corporate roles, including software development and investment operations, and includes a six-month internship with a corporate partner. In Wilmington, that
includes JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Sallie Mae and BNY Mellon.
The program requires a yearlong financial sacrifice — although it does offer a small stipend — but can open new doors upon completion.
In the latest 28-student cohort that graduated in January, about 90% were employed after graduation, while the other 10% went on to seek additional education at a college. The newly employed workers earned upward of $72,000.
Ronald Shackelford Jr. and his fiancée Taylor Brown were among those Wilmington graduates. They went from losing their lease and moving back in with his parents to now earning more than $150,000 per year together working at JPMorgan Chase.
“[Job training programs like Year Up] matter because it’s not the same world of 10 years or 20 years ago. That group went to college, had low student loans and paid them back,” he said after graduation. “Now, educational level doesn’t necessarily match salary. Year Up is like a cheat code. I shouldn’t have been able to get into JPMorgan. But people saw potential and how hard I worked and saw value. That’s life-changing.”
 P6 STUFF | DelawareBusinessTimes.com
















































































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