Des Moines is attempting to solve two of its most persistent urban challenges—a shortage of skilled construction labor and a decaying stock of affordable housing—with a single, integrated strategy. The Polk County Housing Trust Fund, in partnership with the City of Des Moines, has launched the “Work That Impacts Housing Program,” a paid pre-apprenticeship initiative designed to bridge the gap between unemployed or underemployed adults and high-paying careers in the trades.
The program departs from traditional vocational training by tying classroom learning directly to community revitalization. Rather than training in a vacuum, participants will spend a significant portion of their education performing essential interior repairs on single-family homes owned by low- and moderate-income residents. This approach transforms the training process into a public service, leveraging the workforce development pipeline to stabilize neighborhoods that have long suffered from disinvestment.
By integrating the city’s existing “Improving Our Neighborhoods” (ION) program with professional union standards, the initiative creates a symbiotic loop: aspiring tradespeople gain the credentials necessary for a lifetime career, while vulnerable homeowners receive critical repairs that preserve the safety and value of their properties.
A Structured Path to the Trades
The Work That Impacts Housing Program is a four-month commitment designed to move participants from foundational knowledge to specialized commercial application. The curriculum is split into two distinct phases to ensure graduates are versatile and employable in both the residential and commercial sectors.
The first five weeks focus on residential construction. During this phase, participants are embedded in the City of Des Moines’ Improving Our Neighborhoods initiative. This hands-on experience is the core of the program’s civic mission, as students assist with interior home repairs. This phase allows participants to see the immediate impact of their work on the lives of their neighbors while mastering the basics of the craft.
Following the residential phase, the program shifts toward commercial specialization. For three months, participants will enter a commercial phase focused on either carpentry or electrical work. This transition is facilitated through partnerships with two of the region’s most influential labor organizations: the Local 106 Carpentry Union and the IBEW Local 347. By aligning the program with these unions, the city ensures that the training meets rigorous industry standards and provides a clear pathway to full apprenticeship and long-term employment.
To codify this training, participants will earn the TradesFuture Multi-Craft Core Curriculum certification. This recognized credential serves as a professional signal to employers that the graduate possesses the safety knowledge and technical fundamentals required to enter a job site with minimal supervision.
Program Timeline and Milestones
| Phase | Duration | Primary Focus | Key Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Phase | 5 Weeks | Interior home repairs via ION program | Hands-on community impact |
| Commercial Phase | 3 Months | Carpentry (Local 106) or Electrical (IBEW 347) | Specialized trade skill set |
| Certification | Concurrent | TradesFuture Multi-Craft Core | Industry-recognized credential |
Addressing the Housing Preservation Gap
While much of the national conversation regarding housing focuses on the construction of new units, the Polk County Housing Trust Fund is emphasizing preservation. For many low-income residents in Des Moines, the primary threat to housing stability is not a lack of units, but the gradual deterioration of existing ones.
When a home requires interior repairs that a low-income homeowner cannot afford, the property can quickly become substandard or uninhabitable. By deploying pre-apprenticeship cohorts to handle these repairs, the city is essentially using workforce development as a tool for blight prevention. This ensures that existing affordable housing remains viable, preventing displacement and maintaining the architectural fabric of the city’s historic neighborhoods.
The stakeholders in this initiative extend beyond the students. The program benefits:
- Aspiring Professionals: Adults 18+ with a high school diploma who gain a paid entry point into a high-demand industry.
- Low-Income Homeowners: Residents who receive necessary home improvements without the financial burden they otherwise could not meet.
- Local Unions: Local 106 and IBEW 347, which receive a pipeline of vetted, pre-trained candidates ready for full apprenticeship.
- The Municipality: The City of Des Moines, which sees an increase in neighborhood stability and a more skilled local workforce.
Application and Eligibility
Because the program is designed for high-touch mentorship and quality control, the inaugural cohort is strictly limited to six participants. This small size suggests a pilot-style approach, focusing on a high success rate for the first group to prove the model’s efficacy before potentially scaling.
Eligibility is open to adults aged 18 and older who hold a high school diploma or an equivalent credential. Given that the program is paid, it removes the primary barrier—financial instability—that often prevents low-income individuals from pursuing vocational training.
Interested applicants can find the application through the City of Des Moines’ government jobs portal. The deadline for submissions is May 19.
The next critical milestone for the program will be the selection of the six inaugural participants following the May 19 application deadline, which will trigger the start of the five-week residential training phase.
Do you think integrated training programs like this are the best way to tackle urban blight? Share your thoughts in the comments or share this story with someone looking to enter the trades.
