FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Building Better Futures: Urban Ventures Announces Grand Opening of Innovative Lake Street Works Vocational Training Center

Minneapolis, MN – 2/20/24 – Urban Ventures is pleased to announce the grand opening of the newly renovated Lake Street Works training center at 3017 4th Ave S. The training center is a pioneering vocational education facility designed to empower underserved communities of Minneapolis. The event on Tuesday, March 5 at 5 pm, will highlight the essential role skilled trades play in providing high-paying and fulfilling career paths.

The Lake Street Works training center recently underwent an extensive renovation and now boasts enhanced accessibility, modern life skills training areas, and a workshop equipped with industry-standard tools and workbenches. These vital updates ensure students gain firsthand experience in carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, HVAC, and a variety of finishing trades, closely mirroring the real-world industry settings they will encounter.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, vocational careers often lead to median annual wages significantly above the national average, offering a viable alternative to the four-year college route and underscoring the value of trade skills in today's economy.

"We're excited about the potential this remodeled training center brings to our community," said Dave Hawn, President of Urban Ventures. "Offering an alternative to the traditional educational path, Lake Street Works equips students with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to pursue fulfilling careers in the trades, contributing to the economic vitality of our neighborhood."

The program’s director, Jess Coykendall, adds, “Exposure is one of the biggest challenges that local youth face with getting a foot in the doorway to a career in construction.”

The Lake Street Works program has a track record of success, with numerous participants receiving scholarships to trade schools and securing positions in the trades upon completion. This underscores the program's efficacy in not only teaching practical skills but also in nurturing personal growth and professional development.

“The majority of our students graduate the program having already engaged in their career plan, giving them a head-start over most other high school graduates.” Coykendall shares, “We want to give youth the means to break the generational cycle of minimum wage job hopping. Construction is a well-paying career that doesn’t require a traditional 4-year degree or $100,000 worth of debt. There are a million different strong avenues within the construction industry that a student could choose to pursue.”

Victor Cortes Smith, a graduate of Lake Street Works, explained how the program changed the trajectory of his life. “We learned hard skills downstairs and soft skills upstairs. The different projects we built, the team building activities we did, the field trips we took, all helped me get to a position I never thought I would be in.” Victor is now studying at Dunwoody College of Technology on a scholarship obtained through his time at Lake Street Works.

The grand opening event offers an opportunity for the community to explore the new facilities, meet with educators, coaches, and students, and discover the positive impact of Lake Street Works.

For more information about the Lake Street Works program and the grand opening event, please visit lakestreetworks.org. Join us as we celebrate this milestone in vocational education and community development.

About Urban Ventures:

Urban Ventures is a non-profit organization focused on breaking the cycle of poverty in South Minneapolis through education, family support, and community building initiatives. With a holistic approach, Urban Ventures offers programs for every age and every stage of a child’s development, from cradle to career.

About Lake Street Works:

Lake Street Works is an after-school workforce development program serving young men and women, high school seniors from the lowest income communities of Minneapolis. Students develop both trade skills and life skills through program counseling, instruction, activities, mentoring, and hands-on learning.

Contact:

Photos and videos from the training center and student projects are available upon request.

Luke Trouten, Director of Development
Urban Ventures
Email: media@urbanventures.org
Phone: 612.545.9874