WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced today that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has approved $1,100,000 in federal funding for Pathways-VA, a program for at-risk young people in Petersburg, Virginia.

“We are proud to announce that this funding will help Pathways-VA continue to serve low-income communities in Petersburg,” said the Senators. “We look forward to seeing them utilize this funding to provide more job preparation and apprenticeship opportunities to young people.”

Pathways-VA, Inc., is a non-profit that seeks to activate the untapped talent of low-income youth. It guides them in completing high school or state equivalency degree programs, and teaches them the skills they need to work in occupations that are locally in demand. The Petersburg-based organization also works to revitalize neighborhoods by placing newly-trained individuals in employment positions that help meet critical housing and nutritional needs within the community.    

The grants were issued to groups across the country that participate in YouthBuild, a DOL program. YouthBuild aims to break the cycle of poverty in vulnerable communities by providing partner organizations with funding to train young adults to build housing for low-income or homeless individuals. The program also allows grantees to offer training in other industries, such as health care, information technology, hospitality and retail services and logistics. Grants ranged from approximately $700,000 to $1.1 million each and were awarded to 81 YouthBuild programs in 32 states. Pathways-VA received the highest possible award amount.

 In the Senate, Warner and Kaine have prioritized career and technical education (CTE) training to ensure that Virginia is competitive in the global economy by having a skilled workforce to fill available jobs. The Senators know that CTE is an important pathway for success, and have worked to create a better understanding of the critical role that workforce training programs play in growing our economy. Warner and Kaine have supported funding for YouthBuild through the appropriations process.

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