ORLANDO, Fla. — A Valencia College program aimed at helping young adults who never graduated from high school is expanding from Osceola County into Orange County, thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Students ages 16 to 24 who dropped out can get their General Educational Diploma while enrolling in a trade program and getting industry certifications.

Valencia College kicked off its first YouthBuild classes in 2017 at the college’s Osceola County campus, but this is the first year it has expanded into Orange County.

“Orange County is one of the biggest school districts in the state of Florida, and there are students every year that are not graduating, so it’s such an obvious and necessary addition,” said Bridget Valle, director of youth programs and services at Valencia College.

An Osceola County YouthBuild graduate said he believes this expansion into Orange County will change lives.

Anthony Byrne, 18, is in his second month on the job as an assistant technician at the Osceola Council on Aging.

After getting kicked out of school, a friend who went through the program told him about it.

“He was like: ‘Hey, there’s a great opportunity, man. Go to school, get paid for it, and get your diploma.’ And I was like, 'What? That’s crazy',” he said.

It took him one month to graduate, and he said the rest is history.

“I had a lot do doubters in my family and friends and they said I wasn’t going to be anything, and I wasn’t going to do anything,” he said. “So, I took that personally, and I worked very hard and I got everything done quicker than anybody and I graduated first in my class.”

The Osceola Council on Aging hired him after he graduated from the YouthBuild program in construction.

Byrne said he loves his profession and loves working on homes for military veterans.

“To get up and help veterans is a great opportunity,” he said.

He’s found hope after getting his GED, which has allowed him to work a full-time job.

“I love the construction field. I love to be hands on and active,” he said.

Valle credits the YouthBuild program with giving students like Byrne hope for their future.

“It gives students direction," she said. "Traditional high school is not for everybody, and this bridges that gap for students that want to be useful in a career but maybe weren’t so successful in what we consider traditional high school.” 

That’s something Byrne said he can relate to.

“It wasn’t a good thing for me, the school environment wasn’t for me," he said. "They said I was a lost cause. They gave up on me. They said I didn’t have enough credits to graduate, so they ended up kicking me out of school entirely.”

He said YouthBuild has changed his life and that he hopes the expansion into Orange County will change the lives of thousands of others.

His advice for other students who are struggling like he was is to bounce back up and persevere.

“And to not lose hope,” he said.

According to Valencia College, more than 92% of the students enrolled in the YouthBuild program have earned a diploma and 75% are employed or continuing their education.

Interested students can apply starting in September by attending an orientation session.

Valencia College said classes will begin in the fall.