Thanks to a $1.5 million grant, Valencia College will be expanding its YouthBuild program, which helps students who dropped out of high school earn their GED as well as industry certifications. The program has been serving students in Osceola County since 2017 but is now expanding to include Orange County.
Valencia College recently secured the grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The funds allow the school to offer GED classes and courses leading to industry certifications at no cost to students. Those students who successfully complete the program may be eligible for scholarships to continue their education. Alternatively, they can use the credentials they earn to enter the workforce.
Valencia College Director of Youth Services and Programs Bridget Valle says, “Orange County is one of the biggest school districts in the state of Florida and there are students ever year that are not graduating, so it’s such an obvious and necessary addition. It gives students direction, traditional high school is not for everybody and this bridges that gap for students that want to be useful in a career but maybe weren’t so successful in what we consider traditional high school.”
To be eligible for the program, students must be ages 16 to 24 and be residents of Osceola or Orange counties. All classes are held on campus at Valencia College. You can learn more about YouthBuild at the school’s official website.
Valencia College is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. It recently appeared in our ranking of the 10 Colleges with the Best Work-Study Programs.
Source: Valencia College Obtains $1.5 million Grant to Help Students Who Dropped Out of High School
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