This award provides funding to Surry County Schools (SCS) to support the start-up of the Surry-Yadkin FLEET (Fostering Learning through Education, Employment, and Trades) Program which is a new component of Surry-Yadkin Works (SYW). FLEET will engage youth who are at risk of dropping out of high school but not eligible for SYW by placing them in education and workplace readiness initiatives designed to lead to employment in rural Surry and Yadkin Counties. The FLEET program unites K-12 education, community college partners, and local advanced manufacturing leaders to train at-risk high school students to help meet the local employment need. Participating students from Elkin City Schools, Mount Airy City Schools, Surry County Schools, and Yadkin County Schools will attend high school classes at a local manufacturing company for half their school day and will learn a trade through a paid pre-apprenticeship experience at the same company during the second half of the school day. The company will pay the apprentices. In addition to standard high school courses, students will receive basic employability/soft skills training and wraparound support services. It is expected that FLEET will serve 10-15 students in Year 1 and will increase to serving 31-45 students by Year 3. Golden LEAF funds will be used for personnel, equipment/supplies/furniture, renovations, student support, and technology/software costs.
