Programs
Programs Built to Move Young People Toward Their Aspirations
Since 2003, Aspire Youth Development has helped young adults across South Jersey turn aspirations into careers. Our four programs are free, and they’re built the same way: hands-on training that earns industry-recognized credentials, a person who stays with you through it, and direct connections to employers who are hiring. Whether you’re headed for a film set, a construction site, or you’re still figuring out what’s next, Aspire can help you take the next step.
FRAME
FRAME (Film Readiness and Media Training) prepares young adults and high school seniors for entry-level work in New Jersey’s growing film and digital media industry. From camera operation, lighting and sound, script breakdown, on-set production, and post-production editing, participants are hands-on with industry-standard gear. Aspire delivers the program with Creative Content OnDemand, funded through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s NJ Film Works Initiative. Training runs in person in small cohorts, followed by two months of job placement support and career coaching.
YACI
YACI (Young Adult Career Initiative) works with Burlington County young adults ages 16 to 24 who are out of school and deciding what comes next, whether it’s a job, a certification program, college, the military, or a high school equivalency diploma. Each participant is paired with a mentor who helps build the plan and stays with them through it, covering the training and support needed to get a career, keep it, and grow in it. The program is in partnership with government, education, nonprofit, and industry organizations across the county.
TACC
TACC is a pre-apprenticeship program that prepares people at any experience level for Registered Apprenticeships and careers in construction and utilities at no cost to participants. Training runs hands-on at Associated Builders and Contractors of New Jersey’s new 106,000-square-foot facility, with a mock roadway, heavy equipment simulators, and virtual reality training. All graduates earn the nationally recognized NCCER CORE credential and OSHA certification. Participants also receive career coaching and case management, work attire and equipment, job placement support with direct employer introductions, and transportation, childcare, and peer support as needed.
TACC Empower
TACC Empower is a 130-hour pre-apprenticeship program that opens the trades wider by connecting and supporting women and people of color entering construction and utilities. Training covers workplace readiness and professional skills, the NCCER CORE curriculum, OSHA-30 safety certification, scissor lift and forklift operation, and either Procore or a HAZWOPER-24 certification, with career coaching, case management, job placement help, and transportation and childcare support along the way. Aspire also works with employer partners on inclusive hiring and onboarding, mentorship and retention, and workplace culture, so graduates land somewhere that keeps them in the field.