SLATE wins $1.29 million grant for St. Louis youth job pathways
The St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment, or SLATE, has received a $1,285,628 federal YouthBuild grant designed to support 60 young people ages 16 to 24 who are not currently enrolled in school.
The three-year workforce program will serve participants from the City of St. Louis and surrounding communities. It will combine education, construction and transportation training, paid work experience, apprenticeship connections and employment support.
What the YouthBuild program will provide
Through a partnership that includes St. Louis Public Schools, participants can work toward a high-school diploma or HiSET while receiving hands-on occupational training, leadership development and community-service opportunities.
Construction training will be provided through a partnership with Ranken Technical College, with participants able to pursue industry-recognized credentials through the National Center for Construction Education and Research, or NCCER.
Participants interested in transportation careers may also have an opportunity to pursue a Commercial Driver’s License, or CDL-A, through one of SLATE’s eligible training providers.
The program also includes AI literacy throughout the construction curriculum. SLATE described that as a way for participants to explore careers, strengthen technical skills, evaluate information and work through construction challenges. It is not a separate credential or a job guarantee.
Federal grant and city legislative action
The award comes through the U.S. Department of Labor’s YouthBuild program and covers program years 2026 through 2029.
St. Louis Board Bill 63 authorizes the city to accept and appropriate the $1,285,628 award for the YouthBuild program administered by SLATE. The bill also authorizes SLATE’s director to execute contracts and other documents needed to administer and spend the grant for approved purposes.
The bill was introduced July 20, 2026, passed out of committee with a do-pass recommendation July 23, and was perfected July 24. That legislative record confirms the city’s action on the award; it does not establish a payment date or mean that enrollment is open.
Apprenticeships and follow-up support
SLATE said the program will connect participants with registered apprenticeship opportunities through partnerships with the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council and Apprenticeship Missouri.
After program completion, participants are scheduled to receive 12 months of follow-up services. The city announcement lists career coaching, job-placement assistance, transportation support, financial-literacy education, leadership development and other supportive services among the planned assistance.
The grant is designed to create a structured workforce pathway for out-of-school young adults in St. Louis and nearby communities. It does not mean that all 60 participant slots have been filled or that every participant is guaranteed a job, credential or apprenticeship placement.
When enrollment information will be available
SLATE said enrollment information for the next YouthBuild cohort will be announced soon. Eligibility, enrollment and upcoming cohort information will be available through STLworks and the SLATE newsroom.
Residents seeking general workforce-program information can also contact SLATE at (314) 589-8000 or visit its Job Center at 1520 Market St., 3rd Floor, in St. Louis.
Sources
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