Want to use the Birmingham Promise? 2 application deadlines near

Birmingham Promise Apprenticeship Pilot Program

George W. Carver High School graduate Curtis Washington did his apprenticeship with Shipt, an internet-based delivery service in Birmingham.

Two important deadlines for students to take advantage of the Birmingham Promise are coming up soon.

The Birmingham Promise helps to provide apprenticeships and college tuition scholarships for students who graduate from Birmingham high schools.

Oct. 23 is the last day for students to apply for apprenticeships for the spring semester. Students will be able to earn $15/hour and gain job skills through work at Birmingham companies. The apprenticeship will last 15 weeks. Students will work 15 hours per week.

Half of the students’ wages will be paid with city funds. The other half will be paid by the employer, said Josh Carpenter, director of innovation and economic opportunity.

Students can apply for the apprenticeships online through this link.

To be eligible, students must have at least a 2.0 grade point average and be on track to graduate high school.

“We wanted to make it as accessible as possible, that way it’s available not only for students who do well in traditional learning,” said Rachel Harmon, deputy director of talent for the city of Birmingham. “We know many students will do well (in apprenticeships) even if they don’t have a 4.0.”

After submitting the application, students will go through an interview, where they will discuss their areas of interest and goals.

After the interviews, the companies will select the students they want for their apprenticeship. Students will then be matched with an employer based on the employers’ selections and the students’ area of interest.

“The biggest comment I hear from employers in the community is ‘we need more talent.’ I tell them, ‘it’s in these schools. You just have to find a way to get in there,’” Carpenter said.

The apprenticeship arm of the Birmingham Promise allows students an opportunity to make money and earn job experience. It allows companies to find and cultivate talent within the community, Carpenter said.

The pilot for the apprenticeship program happened this past summer. Both Harmon and Carpenter described it as a success.

Learn more about the apprenticeship program here.

After the Oct. 23 apprenticeship deadline comes the Dec. 1 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) deadline. Students wanting to take advantage of the Birmingham Promise college scholarship must submit their FAFSA by Dec. 1, Carpenter said.

The Birmingham Promise scholarship is last-dollar funds, meaning students must apply for federal student aid before Promise dollars kick in. The Promise will help pay for any leftover tuition costs.

One aim of the Promise scholarship is cutting reliance on student loans.

On Tuesday, the Birmingham City Council approved a $10 million agreement between the city and the newly-formed Birmingham Promise, Inc. The city will provide $2 million per year for five years.

Some private funds and donations will also be collected. Aside from the $10 million agreement with the city, about $60,000 have been raised so far, officials said.

By law, the city cannot issue scholarships to students, which is why Birmingham Promise, Inc. was created as a non-profit. It is a subsidiary of United Way. United Way will be responsible for managing the scholarships and the apprenticeship program, Carpenter said.

The board and leaders of Birmingham Promise, Inc. have not yet been identified. Carpenter said those officials should be named in the coming months.

Read more coverage of the Birmingham Promise here.

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