Nearly one year after it was launched, Wilmington's Future Builders is celebrating early success.
The WFB program is part of Mayor Mike Purzycki’s multi-million dollar Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan.
The partnership between the city and the New Castle County Vo-Tech School District invites young people between the ages of 16 and 24 to work with local construction companies to gain new skills and restore properties on the East Side of Wilmington.
“It’s huge to the City in terms of the physical condition of our housing, our neighborhoods. But really the best benefit is we’re building human capital. We’re building young kids’ lives. We’re giving them their own sense of self-definition. And I think that’s the biggest pay off,” said Purzycki.
The program was initially funded last year with a $295,000 American Rescue Plan Act Grant from the City of Wilmington. The same amount in ARPA funding will go toward the program through 2023.
And moving forward, the City has budgeted an additional $100,000 a year in ARPA funds to pay stipends directly to the students.
Program supervisor Colleen Connaty says participants and construction partners are enthusiastic about the program’s future.
“In less than a year, we’ve had 20 students participate in the program so far. And we’ll be recruiting more students every day. They’ve earned up to $80,000 on the job sites through their hourly wage,” said Connaty.
Along with hourly pay, program participants are offered safety training, academic tutoring and counseling, on-site experience, and materials like clothing, bus passes, and equipment.
