Teaching Teens To Build Hammers Home A
Message
Teenagers in Washington, D.C.,
face tough odds getting a job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
nearly half of those looking for work can't find it which is the highest rate
in the country. Sasha Bruce Youthwork, an organization that works with troubled
teens in the district, is trying to address that problem by training young
people in the construction trades. The group has enlisted an army of volunteers
and a handful of trainees for what it calls a "blitz build" an effort
to rebuild a gutted house in a single day. The Sasha Bruce Youthwork program is
trying to place 10 to 15 of its current trainees in internships, with the hope
that those positions will lead to full-time jobs. Eighty percent of the
program's alumni are currently employed or have gone on to more schooling.
It’s heartening to hear that
programs like this exist. Now all we need to do is expand on them and
incorporate them into educational structure. When a full 2/3rds of population
will never attend college, it seems absurd to provide a college prep program
for everyone. It is far better to acknowledge this reality and provide
practical route that will lead to success. It
certainly is a good feeling to know how to build something, and trade unions
will be happy to see more folks joining their ranks. The downsides are that the
construction industry took a huge hit during the recession, and it will take a
few years before job opportunities return to normal. And even then, this kind of
work tends to be seasonal.
By Anna Krause
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