You have work that needs doing and a team that needs dependable people. But an entry-level resume rarely tells you how someone will learn, respond to feedback, or grow into a role. Partnering with YouthBuild Lake County gives employers a way to connect with local participants and alumni through work experiences, career exposure, and hiring conversations.

Choose the partnership that fits your team

A useful employer partnership starts with a specific opportunity. Are you ready to hire? Can a supervisor mentor someone during a three-week work experience? Or would a workplace tour help young adults understand an industry they have never considered?

• Recruit for an opening: Share the role, location, schedule, pay range, and essential qualifications with YBLC. Ask about participants or alumni whose goals and preparation may fit.
• Host a work experience: Offer structured tasks, supervision, and feedback so a participant can apply skills in a real workplace.
• Start with career exposure: Host a tour or participate in mock interviews if your team is not ready for a placement.

The Corporate Engagement page outlines these options. The best starting point is the one your team can support consistently.

Understand the training behind the resume

YBLC’s three programs prepare people for different next steps. Knowing which pathway a candidate completed will help you ask better questions and avoid assuming everyone has the same credentials.

YouthBuild: education and career exploration

The nine-month YouthBuild Program combines diploma support, industry-recognized credentials, job readiness, service, and career exploration. Pathways include construction and HVAC, healthcare, transportation, information technology, and automotive. Ask about the individual’s work experience and credentials rather than treating the program name as a substitute for a skills conversation.

Pre-Apprenticeship: preparation for the trades

The Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program includes 10 weeks and 280 hours of training, with OSHA 10, NCCER Core, and CPR/First Aid. YBLC’s 2026 Annual Report recorded 52 participants served and 100% earning an industry-recognized credential.

Registered Apprenticeship: learning through paid work

The Facility Maintenance and Repair Registered Apprenticeship combines 18 months of paid on-the-job training with instruction and mentorship. Training includes CAMT, OSHA 30, HVAC fundamentals, and plumbing basics. The U.S. Department of Labor describes Registered Apprenticeship as a model built around paid work, structured learning, mentorship, and an industry credential. It is a different commitment from hosting a short work experience.

Make a three-week work experience useful

A good placement should answer two questions: What will the participant learn, and who will help them learn it? A busy workplace can offer valuable experience, but only if someone makes the expectations clear.

Before the first day, agree on these details with YBLC:

• A defined role: Identify tasks that match the participant’s preparation and create opportunities to practice new skills.
• A named supervisor: Choose someone who can explain tasks, answer questions, and provide regular feedback.
• A realistic schedule: Confirm hours, location, arrival instructions, and transportation considerations.
• Safety and onboarding: Clarify orientation, equipment, required training, and which tasks are appropriate for the participant.
• Placement arrangements: Confirm pay, paperwork, responsibilities, and a staff contact before the placement starts.
• A closing conversation: Review what the participant learned, what needs more practice, and whether another opportunity may be a fit.

These are planning questions, not a promise that every placement operates the same way. YBLC can discuss the arrangements for the opportunity your team has in mind.

Look for evidence of learning, not just years of experience

For a genuinely entry-level role, separate what someone must know on day one from what your team can teach. Keep necessary credentials and safety requirements clear, while giving candidates room to demonstrate skills gained through training, service, and work experience.

Questions such as “Tell me about a task you had to learn” or “How did you respond when someone corrected your work?” can reveal more than asking only about previous job titles. Describe an ordinary day in the role, too. Candidates need enough information to decide whether the work and schedule fit their goals.

Tobias offers one local example of the connection between training and employment. YBLC’s 2026 Annual Report describes his progression from Pre-Apprenticeship into Registered Apprenticeship, earning his CAMT credential and becoming a full-time Maintenance Technician with the Lake County Housing Authority. Read Tobias’s story.

Common questions from employer partners

Do we have to be a construction company?

No. YBLC participants explore several career pathways, and employers can contribute through tours, interview practice, work experiences, or hiring. Describe your industry and the work you can offer so staff can discuss a suitable connection.

Is a work experience a guarantee of a future hire?

No. A placement creates a chance to learn and assess fit. If an opening becomes available, discuss it with YBLC and the participant rather than making assumptions about what comes next.

Can we connect with alumni as well as current participants?

Yes. YBLC maintains connections with graduates through Alumni Services. Share the experience level and qualifications your role requires so the conversation can include the right candidates.

Bring us a role, not just a general request for workers

To start, send a brief description of your opportunity: your company, work location, role or project, schedule, pay range, essential requirements, and the person who would supervise. If you are exploring rather than hiring immediately, tell us that too.

A clear opportunity makes it easier to build a partnership that works for your business and helps a young adult take a meaningful next step.

Prefer to talk first? Contact YouthBuild Lake County about hosting a work experience or hiring a participant or alumnus.

Program and project information checked November 11, 2026. Sources include YBLC’s current program pages and 2026 Annual Report; external data are linked where cited.