Urban League of Louisiana Apprenticeship Program Gets $1.2M in Federal Funding

Cameron Bernard, 24, was trying to plan for his future with few high-paying opportunities for work when he heard about the cybersecurity apprenticeship program run by the Urban League of Louisiana (New Orleans, LA).

Through the Urban League's Career Pathways Program, within a year, Bernard, of Jefferson Parish, will have the training and certifications he needs to qualify for full-time work in that field. He'll earn at least $45,000 annually. 

"We're on the first certification," Bernard said. "I'm doing this because I was looking for opportunities to have a career in cybersecurity and have a full-time job."

On Tuesday (July 2), U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, announced that the program Bernard is benefiting from will receive a $1.2 million federal grant, money it can use to admit more students like Bernard and pay them a small stipend while they are getting an education. The money stems from a $35 million appropriation included in the federal budget that benefits community projects across Louisiana. 

"The Urban League of Louisiana's Career Pathways Program is a beacon of hope in our community, offering comprehensive training that paves the way for good paying jobs and careers, demonstrating that we recognize and appreciate the value of our young people," Carter said at a Tuesday press conference at the Urban League's headquarters in Mid-City.

The grant allows the Urban League to educate at least 155 more students in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and the surrounding parishes, said Cherie LaCour-Duckworth, vice president of workforce development for the Urban League.

The program trains unemployed or underemployed young people for higher-paying careers through apprenticeships in fields including manufacturing, construction, technology, cybersecurity and health care. It has already seen more than 40 graduates.

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