The City Council unanimously approved a resolution Monday that designated up to $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act Economic Development funding for the Builder’s Exchange of the Southern Tier’s National Center for Construction Education Pre-Apprenticeship Trades Program under the Workforce Development Grant. The funding will provide a significant investment into developing Jamestown’s workforce.

Earlier this month, the Jamestown Local Development Corporation approved the funding for the workforce development program designed by the Southern Tier Builder’s Exchange; however, the City Council was required to give final approval due to the requested funding exceeding $100,000.

The Workforce Development grant was created to address the needs of Jamestown’s workforce and help establish a “pipeline” between the city’s youth and trade skill sectors of the economy.

The NCCER Accredited Pre-Apprenticeship Trades Program developed by the Builder’s Exchange will introduce trainees to multiple trades over a period of two semesters for local high school student and eight weeks for both college students and adults.

According to the staff report provided to Mayor Eddie Sundquist and the City Council, the “over-arching objective” is to provide investment into the community’s youth, promote career awareness, provide training and credentials, sustain the local workforce and build connecting that lead to employment. The program is expected to prepare students with a foundation from which to either enter the union and begin apprenticeship or pursue additional education at a trade-school.

The NCCER Accredited Pre-Apprenticeship Trades Program will be available for high school students, college students and adults in the local community. Currently, the program could support between 25 and 30 students per semester.