Vermont’s way to work.
Serve Learn Earn is a collaborative of four Vermont nonprofits working together so more Vermonters can find a paid way into meaningful work. Through paid service and hands-on training, participants build skills, earn credentials, and take on projects that strengthen their communities. Employers gain prepared, motivated workers, and Vermont gains the people and the projects it needs.
Creating a Lasting, Positive Impact for Vermont
Serve Learn Earn helps close Vermont's most persistent workforce gaps while strengthening the communities that depend on this work. Our four partners offer paid service and training that move Vermonters toward careers, give employers a pipeline of prepared workers, and leave communities with lasting results. See where you can start.
Serve Learn Earn by the Numbers
2,721 participants
ages 14+
20,866 weeks of service and training
850+ credentials of value
$7.63M in participant wages and stipends
A Clear Need.
An Innovative Approach.
Vermont has a critical need for more workers and our population growth isn’t keeping pace with demand. Young people often leave the state for opportunities elsewhere. It’s expensive to live here. Pathways to well-paying jobs are hard to find in our rural communities. And a college education often feels out of reach. Put all those factors together and it’s no surprise that Vermont is facing a critical shortage of workers in just about every sector.
Fortunately, Serve Learn Earn is here to help work toward a solution. Through our collective impact model, SLE is creating accessible pathways into high-wage careers and an affordable education. Each of our programs provides training and the opportunity to serve the state through projects in critical areas such as housing, food security, outdoor infrastructure, conservation, weatherization, environmental education, and more.
One Path, Many Starting Points
Vermonters enter through different doors and move at their own pace. Each step builds on the last, and each one benefits Vermont too
| Step | What it means for Vermonters | What it means for employers and communities |
|---|---|---|
| Explore | Try a field through hands-on experience and meet employers | Employers meet future workers early, and communities see what careers are possible close to home |
| Get started | Paid participation makes it possible to say yes | Opportunity reaches people who are often left out, including rural Vermonters and women entering the trades |
| Build skills | Learn through real work on real projects | Trails, homes, habitat, and food get built, restored, and grown |
| Add credentials | Certifications, college credit, and experience add up | Employers can trust what a credential means |
| Move forward | Jobs, apprenticeships, further training, school, or continued service | A steadier pipeline of prepared workers who are motivated to stay and contribute in Vermont |
We’ve all got a lot of work to do.
We believe Vermont can have a robust and equitable workforce with the capacity to meet our housing, economic, and climate goals. Since 2020, Serve Learn Earn partners have joined forces to help address Vermont’s significant workforce shortages. Whether you are looking for a first step, hiring, or ready to support this work, there is a place for you here.
News & Updates
