Serve Learn Earn coalition briefs Senate committee, asks to raise base funding

Representatives of the Serve Learn Earn coalition told the Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs Committee on Thursday that sustained public funding has allowed the partnership to expand high-quality paid training and service opportunities across Vermont and asked the Senate to raise the program's base appropriation.

"Since 2021, SERVE LEARNARD has been on a mission, to create high quality paid training and service opportunities across the state," Kate Gluckman said in the presentation to the committee. She described a networked approach that connects career exploration for teens, AmeriCorps and adult workforce programs and reported program-level outcomes and funding figures to the panel.

The coalition described Serve Learn Earn as a continuum of 14 programs that provide paid service, industry-recognized credentials and placement with employers. Gluckman said the collaboration serves Vermonters "ages 14 years through adults," and highlighted partnerships with AmeriCorps Serve Vermont, the Vermont Department of Labor and local CTE centers.

Why it matters: committee members stressed the connection between the coalition's training and workforce needs, particularly in the forest-products and construction sectors. Several members noted Serve Learn Earn fills gaps between K–12, CTE and higher education pathways and can help youth and disconnected adults enter in-demand jobs.

What the coalition reported: Gluckman and other presenters gave specific participation and funding data. Key figures the presenters cited include: - Annual participants: roughly 600 across all programs (growth from about 450 in earlier years). - Total program budget: about $10.4–$10.5 million, of which annual public allocations have been about $2.0 million this year. - Private and federal leverage: roughly $8.4–$8.5 million of other revenue sources, including private philanthropy and federal grants; an Ascendium Foundation grant of about $1.8 million over three years was noted. - Cumulative participation and outcomes since inception: more than 1,400 participants served, more than 500 credentials-of-value awarded, about $3.25 million paid in wages and stipends to participants, and 615 participants served in the most recent year. Presenters said 70% of last year's participants were under age 24 and that programs awarded college credits and industry credentials (presenters cited 25 college credits and 246 industry-recognized credentials in the most-recent reporting period).

Program design and examples: presenters described three buckets of programming: career exploration for high school students, early professional/AmeriCorps experiences, and adult-focused workforce development. Examples given included YouthBuild sites that combine academics and construction training (Burlington and Barre), a timber-framing pre-apprenticeship launching at Vermont Conservation Corps, weatherization and heat-pump training tied to Vermont Adult Learning, and conservation education programs run by Audubon Vermont.

On stipends and barriers: Tom Longstaff, executive director of Resource, and other providers explained stipends are critical for participants who are low- or moderate-income because stipends help cover childcare, transportation and other short-term costs that otherwise prevent participation. Longstaff summarized the rationale: stipends help participants complete intensive short-term trainings and become job-ready for employers that are otherwise reluctant to hire individuals with employment barriers.

The ask: Serve Learn Earn presenters asked the Senate to increase the coalition's base-state funding. In testimony to the committee, coalition leaders described the current public allocation at about $2.0 million and outlined a request to increase base funding by an additional $1.0 million in recurring support and to provide a $1.0 million one-time allocation, described by presenters as options that would grow the program's sustainable base. Committee members asked clarifying questions about the current mix of funding, how public dollars leverage private and federal grants, and how the coalition measures participant placement and wage outcomes.

Quotes from participants and providers: "Now more than ever, Vermont businesses need young, motivated, qualified, and reliable employees who can come to work ready to learn and be part of a high functioning team," coalition presenters quoted an employer partner as saying. Program leaders also noted that the coalition is increasingly connecting participants with high-demand sectors including advanced manufacturing, heavy equipment and weatherization.

What was not decided: Committee members received the update and asked questions; there were no formal votes or legislative actions taken at this meeting on the coalition's request.

Looking ahead: presenters and committee members suggested continued coordination with the Agency of Education, Vermont Adult Learning and the Office of Workforce Expansion and Development to scale the credentialing and high-school credit components of the programs. Coalition leaders said they plan follow-ups with the committee and noted several program launches and pilot expansions planned for the coming year, including the timber-framing pre-apprenticeship and expanded weatherization training.