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New Castle County funding construction training for low-income residents

Delaware Public Media

New Castle County is putting money towards helping low income residents get construction jobs.

The county is giving the Delaware branch of the Pathways to Apprenticeship program $15,000.

The program offers a six week course to low-income individuals, the formerly incarcerated or people receiving public assistance to help them get into union apprentice programs working construction in Delaware.

Wilmington City Councilwoman Rysheema Dixon is the program’s executive director. She says the new funds will buy tools, boots, union membership and other certifications for the nine people currently in the class.

“Which is actually a huge help to our program,” said Dixon.  

This class is the second cohort to participate in this program. The group is set to graduate in October. The program graduated seven individuals in its first class. 

This grant is part of the county’s NCC Cares program. New Castle County Director of Economic Development Tamara Morris-Folks says the county has given out grants to 10 programs this fiscal year totaling nearly $100,000, and she says there’s still room in the budget for more similar grants this fiscal year.

“We’ve definitely done more than double where we are now, so we have room to help more programs this year,” said Morris-Folks.  

Morris-Folks says the application process opens up again next month and will run until the end of the year.