Step-Up Jobs Program

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Step-Up is an apprenticeship-based employment and training program strategy initiated by HUD in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to address the "Welfare to Work" and economic self -sufficiency needs of public housing residents as well as other low income people. Step-Up is designed to creatively utilize federal construction assistance funding streams such as HUD's housing and community development grants as employment and training sites. Flexible, locally-customized Step-Up sponsor/employer/labor partnerships built around apprenticeship develop and operate the programs in conjunction with related collaborations with providers of comprehensive support services. Such support services might include child care, remedial education and pre-job skills and counseling, transportation assistance, and similar essentials for participants. All Step-Up programs are defined by a commitment to long-term employment outcomes.

Step-Up programs utilize formal apprenticeship standards that are registered with DOL's Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training or approved by DOL-recognized State Apprenticeship Councils. Once such standards are registered, they are submitted along with a Step-Up program description narrative to HUD for formal Step-Up designation consideration in conjunction with DOL. The non-profit National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials has facilitated the development of Step-Up programs in public housing by acting as a sponsor of national apprenticeship standards for a number of apprenticeable occupations used in public housing. Step-Up programs may also be developed to meet the needs of other sponsors and organizations, both public and private, such as municipalities and Indian tribes. Step-Up programs may also involve collaborations with other Federal initiatives such as EPA's superfund Job Training Initiative (JTI) and the Department of Justice's Weed and Seed program. [e.g., see the HUD-EPA Memorandum of Understanding]

• To view an overview of Step-Up.

• To view a list of Step-Up job training sites throughout the country.