Urban League says Building Futures pre‑apprenticeship has placed graduates in construction trades

The Urban League told the Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners on July 15 that its Building Futures pre‑apprenticeship program has produced 66 graduates, a 93 percent graduation rate and a 64 percent employment rate to date.

Building Futures is a 12‑week pre‑apprenticeship readiness program that trains adult learners for construction‑trade careers and connects graduates to unions, private employers and nonprofit employers. "Building Futures is a 12 week pre apprenticeship readiness program that's focusing on helping adult learners transition into careers in construction and building trades," said Ebony Young, senior vice president of impact at the Urban League. The program targets Hamilton County residents who are unemployed or underemployed and who live in qualified census tracts at 300 percent of the federal poverty level or below.

The program combines three weeks of soft skills training — including interpersonal skills and financial literacy — with trade‑specific instruction and safety certifications such as CPR and OSHA 10. "Once the participants graduate the program, the goal is to connect them to employment," Young said. The curriculum also includes the state‑recognized multi‑craft core curriculum certification.

Dusty Bryant, director of workforce innovation and sustainability at the Urban League, presented outcome data: "To date, we have had 66 graduates of the program with a 93 percent graduation rate and a 64 percent employment rate." Bryant said 43 of the 66 graduates were employed at the time of the presentation and noted a lag in the employment metric for recent cohorts. He reported a median hourly wage of $29.97 for placed graduates and a reported top wage of $50 per hour and a low of $17.12 per hour.

Program organizers described an "earn as you learn" model that provides weekly stipends and supportive funds to reduce participation barriers. Bryant said the Urban League has allocated more than $200,000 in stipends to date and that each participant has a $500 account for supportive services; if that account is unused it may be applied to union initiation fees. Bryant described an example graduate who entered the program from a halfway house, completed the program, joined a building trades union and now supports his family.

Presenters credited county seed funding with launching the program and said national and state partners now supplement local support. In response to commissioner questions, Bryant and Young said funding includes support from the National Urban League operating with North America's Building Trades, federally directed funding from a U.S. senator, and contributions from the Ohio Department of Transportation and the City of Cincinnati. Bryant said the program also partners with the Cincinnati Building and Construction Trades Council and the AFL‑CIO for apprenticeship placement and with the Greater Cincinnati Occupational Health Center for certifications.

The Urban League said it is running its fifth cohort and offered three cohorts in the current year. Organizers said they plan to expand to five or six cohorts next year by adding partner space with the Cincinnati Tool Bank. They also identified recruitment goals: increase women from about 14 percent of participants and engage more high‑school graduates and returning citizens.

Commissioners thanked presenters, asked for lists of employers who have hired graduates, and emphasized including women and other underrepresented groups in recruitment. Presenters said they would provide follow‑up lists to the commissioners' offices.

No formal vote or directive was recorded during the presentation; commissioners indicated interest in keeping the program on county funding and budget radar as budget planning progresses.