Explore Our Impact This Year!
Take a closer look at how YouthBuild Lake County has empowered youth and transformed our community this year. Check out our 2024 Annual Report to see the highlights, success stories, and milestones that made this year extraordinary!

Our Mission
Our mission is to provide underserved young adults with the education, training, and life skills necessary to become gainfully employed and build a better future.
— Further Your Education
Complete your high school diploma and/or enroll in college or a vocational school.
— Find Your Career Path
From construction to healthcare, we offer a variety of in-demand career pathways. Our staff is dedicated to your success and will help you find what’s right for you.
— Be a Leader
We encourage giving back to your community through construction and community service. Be empowered today, so you can be a leader tomorrow.
— Invest in Your Wellness
We know social and emotional wellbeing are important to overall success. Our team is ready to provide you with the resources you need to thrive from the inside out.
— Develop New Skills
Learn how to network and present yourself professionally – it’s essential to building a better future. With the right tools under your belt, you can achieve your goals and make your dreams come true.

YouthBuild’s Success Stories
Sunny Ruiz
“We partnered with Youthbuild to provide an opportunity for young adults to gain work experience and learn a skillset while at Santana Equipment. A few of these trainees stayed on after their training and were hired on as employees with us. We appreciate the invitation for new trainees and hope to continue to assist young adults with gainful employment.” -Sunny Ruiz, Administrator of Santana Equipment Training Co.
Ashley
“I was always the quiet girl, but the program helped me crack out of my shell and become a leader.”” - Ashley, Class of 2024 My life before YouthBuild was very difficult and overall not well. I was a completely different person before I attended YouthBuild. I hit rock bottom and felt like I was stuck there,”Ashley reflects on her life before joining YouthBuild Lake County. Coming from a challenging...
Partners
The US Department of Labor funds YBLC’s YouthBuild program through a YouthBuild Grant. This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the US Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the US Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner. YouthBuild Lake County is an equal opportunity agency.
YBLC is funded by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). ISBE administers public education in the state of Illinois.


