Team Rubicon Announces TRades Academy; Training Veterans to Rebuild Homes
The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation to fuel a new program to build skills for veterans that will aid in the long-term recovery of those impacted by disasters.
LOS ANGELES, June 8, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Veteran-led nonprofit humanitarian organization, Team Rubicon, announced the creation of the TRades Academy to provide those who have served in the military with trade skills and general contractor credentials. Team Rubicon continues to see a critical shortage of credentialed contractors with the skills needed to provide homeowners with efficient and high-quality rebuild and repair services following a disaster. Furthering their initial investment of $1.8 million, the Clark Foundation is matching donations to the TRades Academy, totaling $6.5 million. This is a legacy investment for the Foundation, with a lasting impact on the veteran community and survivors of disasters.
"The Clark Foundation is proud to invest in Team Rubicon's TRades Academy," said Mike Monroe, Director of Veterans Initiatives at the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation. "The program is very unique. It will train and qualify veterans in skills that open doors toward increased economic and employment potential while at the same time improving communities in need after disaster strikes."
The TRades Academy focus will be twofold, providing students with the credentials and field experience necessary to become qualified general contractors while also supplying alternative career paths with in-demand skill sets.
"We are incredibly grateful for this support of veterans and the training that will allow them to help survivors of disasters," said Art delaCruz, CEO of Team Rubicon. "The TRades Academy fills a need for more contractors, a key to assisting more communities. This project and the impact it will create would not have been possible without investment from the Clark Foundation."
Nearly 1.4 million individuals (about half the population of Nevada) actively serve in the US military, 82.3% of whom are enlisted. Only 8% of enlisted individuals have four-year degrees. With most careers in the United States requiring a bachelor's degree, this lack of education acts as a significant barrier to most military members transitioning from service to civilian life. Veterans will be selected to attend the program and receive apprenticeships in the skilled trades, specifically carpentry, electrical, and plumbing, as all as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). The program will enable Team Rubicon to begin significantly scaling rebuild operations by the end of 2025 while providing veteran students the credentials and field experience needed to become certified contractors in their own communities. The program is set to launch in the fall of 2023. Visit http://www.teamrubiconusa.org to donate and find more information.
Media Contact
Jonathan Connors, Team Rubicon, 1 (310) 640-8787, [email protected]
SOURCE Team Rubicon
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