BlackRock Future Builders™ Expands Nationwide to Help Thousands of American Workers Access Skilled Trades Careers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BlackRock Future Builders today announced over $13 million in grants awarded to 15 organizations that will help more than 5,400 individuals across 26 states prepare for careers in the skilled trades. The awards mark the latest expansion of BlackRock Future Builders, extending the initiative’s reach nationwide and into more than a dozen high-demand trades. The grants are part of BlackRock Future Builders, a $100 million philanthropic initiative with a goal of training and supporting 50,000 American workers over the next 5 years.

“America has enormous demand for skilled trades workers who can build and maintain what our country depends on, and these can be great jobs for millions of Americans,” said Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock. “With BlackRock Future Builders, we’re investing in organizations that know how to turn that opportunity into lasting careers: helping people get the training they need and connecting them with employers who need their skills. These grants will bring that work to more communities and more trades across the country.”

The 15 selected organizations represent a broad range of approaches to strengthening skilled trades pathways across the country, including for women, veterans, formerly incarcerated individuals, and tribal communities. The grantees are labor union training centers, union-affiliated organizations, chambers of commerce, colleges and universities, workforce intermediaries, and community-based nonprofits. The organizations will expand apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities, introduce more young people to skilled trades careers, and help workers access hands-on training and industry-recognized credentials. The programs span more than a dozen trades, including electrical, construction, HVAC, welding, plumbing, pipefitting, heavy equipment operation, and other infrastructure-related occupations.

The grants are being awarded through the first round of BlackRock Future Builders’ $25 million national RFP, launched in June to identify organizations developing innovative approaches to strengthening skilled trades talent pipelines and expanding access to career pathways. More than 1,000 applications were received, underscoring the demand for resources that help connect more Americans to these careers. BlackRock Future Builders partnered with Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national nonprofit with workforce development expertise, to support the application review process.

The inaugural BlackRock Future Builders RFP recipients are:

• Canton Electrical JATC (Ohio)
• Goodwill Arkansas (Arkansas)
• Goodwill of Middle Georgia and the CSRA (Georgia)
• Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Foundation Inc (Florida)
• Heavy Metal Summer Experience (National)
• Helmets to Hardhats (National)
• Iron Workers International (Texas)
• Louisiana Parole Project (Louisiana)
• Mitchell Technical College Foundation (South Dakota and Surrounding Region)
• National Veterans Transition Services, “REBOOT” (California)
• NC Business Committee for Education in partnership with Careers Electric (North Carolina)
• Nontraditional Employment for Women (New York)
• The Regional Development Corporation (New Mexico)
• The Sacramento Area Electrical JATC, Alameda County Electrical JATC and San Joaquin Electrical Training Institute (California)
• University at Buffalo Business & Entrepreneur Partnerships (New York)

The grants build on BlackRock Future Builders’ initial launch in Texas earlier this year, where The BlackRock Foundation committed $30 million over three years to help prepare more than 12,000 Texans for electrical careers. By connecting more people to training, apprenticeships, and in-demand careers, BlackRock Future Builders is helping create pathways to long-term economic opportunity and advancing BlackRock’s purpose of helping more people experience financial well-being.

About BlackRock

BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate.

About The BlackRock Foundation

Guided by BlackRock’s purpose to help more and more people experience financial well-being, The BlackRock Foundation funds and partners with organizations that strengthen financial security by helping people earn, save and invest – earlier, more often and for their futures.