YouthCare is excited to add a Commercial Real Estate (CRE) Program to its workforce development repertoire!
A pilot version of The Commercial Real Estate Program launched this May in partnership with Porter, a Seattle-based commercial design firm. Over the course of nine weeks, the new program offers participants exposure to many different career avenues within Commercial Real Estate, including design, technical trades, facility management, and project management. “I like to compare it to a charcuterie board,” says LaCoda Miller, CRE Program Coordinator. “Participants will be able to sample different things and find out what will be sustainable for them based on their interests.”
YouthCare’s aim across all workforce development programs is to offer young people the skills they need to obtain permanent employment in sustainable jobs. Jobs that pay the bills AND provide interesting, meaningful work. The CRE Program, in large part due to industry partner–Porter, is a valuable step toward a meaningful career.
Porter has several social impact programs dedicated to realizing change within the commercial real estate industry. Their social impact statement reads:
“We’re committed to making positive change in the corporate real estate industry by identifying barriers of entry and working to remove them, redistributing wealth for traditionally under-resourced and historically excluded people, and nurturing talent to create an inclusive community.”
The partnership with YouthCare was developed out of Porter’s On the Rise program, where they work with high school students to develop commercial real estate skills. Porter’s leaders understood through this program that participants often needed social support in addition to the job training they were able to provide. Thus, the partnership with YouthCare was born. While YouthCare focuses on client support, recruitment, retention, and care coordination, Porter concentrates on developing training curriculum, recruiting industry experts as volunteer instructors, and securing commercial learning venues. These offsite learning venues include Microsoft and the Shop by Porter, amongst other exciting locations. Along with this incredible partnership, Porter is generously paying the first cohort of participants’ stipends–$50/class.
YouthCare believes in not just helping young people to survive their current obstacles but believes in creating futures where young people can truly thrive in lives of fulfillment.
Participants are young people aged 18-24 whose interests match the experience and time commitment of the program. YouthCare believes in not just helping young people to survive their current obstacles but believes in creating futures where young people can truly thrive in lives of fulfillment. The CRE Program offers another avenue in a highly sought-after industry that can create new pathways of vocational stability and passion. Lacoda comments, “We want the program to meet the client’s needs and interests, not the other way around.”
The nine-week pilot program aims to lead to an expanded three-month program later this year, with an eventual six-month program that includes GED instruction as the longer-term goal. The CRE Program is YouthCare’s next step in diversifying pathways to long-term financial and vocational stability for young people who are looking for careers they can discover a passion for.