Training Resources of America

What Training Resources of America does

Training Resources of America, Inc. (TRA) is a private Massachusetts nonprofit founded in 1975 that delivers education, employment, and workforce development services to educationally and economically disadvantaged youth and adults. The organization operates nine physical training sites across the state — Worcester (headquarters), Brockton, New Bedford, Quincy, Springfield, Holyoke, Fitchburg, and Salem — with program operations also extending to Chelsea and Lawrence. Its program portfolio includes YouthBuild (construction skills training paired with HiSET preparation and HBI PACT/OSHA certifications), ACHIEVE! Youth Opportunity Program (customer service and Microsoft Office training for out-of-school youth), Adult Basic Education/GED Prep, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Employment Prep/CIES, Young Parents Program, Trade Adjustment Assistance, SNAP-Path-to-Work, and the Young Parents Demonstration Program delivered in partnership with LARE Training Center.

Services are delivered primarily in-person through classroom instruction and construction-site apprenticeship, supplemented by access to third-party educational platforms including IXL Learning, Rosetta Stone, ReadWorks, USA Learns, Khan Academy, NewsELA, Online TABE, LACES, Northstar Digital Literacy, and HiSET prep tools. The technology stack is entirely licensed and configured for curriculum delivery and student progress tracking against Massachusetts ABE and ESOL Curriculum Frameworks; there is no proprietary technology platform. Participants receive free services; the organization does not charge tuition or program fees.

TRA's revenue model is grant-funded: the organization is financed primarily by federal sources (U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) and Massachusetts state agencies (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of Transitional Assistance, Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission), supplemented by corporate sponsorships (Saint-Gobain, CertainTeed) and tax-deductible donations. Referrals flow through a network of 35+ partner organizations including workforce investment boards, housing authorities, YouthBuild USA, community colleges, and the Carpenters Union. The organization reports 51-100 employees and has no disclosed revenue, parent company, or M&A activity.

Name

Training Resources of America

Legal name

Training Resources of America, Inc.

Website

https://tra-inc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Training Resources of America is a 51-year-old Massachusetts nonprofit that delivers free education, ESOL, and workforce development services to disadvantaged youth and adults across nine training sites, funded primarily by federal and state government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Education and Workforce Development

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

GED/HiSET Preparation & Instruction (EDAAABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN), Intensive Bootcamps & Accelerated ASE Programs (EDAAABAH)

Keywords

• Adult basic education
• Workforce development services
• ESOL instruction
• Youth job training
• Construction skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

Holyoke

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: TRA operates primarily as a nonprofit workforce development organization funded through federal and state government grants. Major funders include U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance, and Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission. YouthBuild Worcester ($1,330,396 total cost), Quincy YouthBuild HUD grant ($700,000), and other program-specific funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Training Resources of America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free adult basic education, GED preparation, ESOL, youth workforce development, and employment preparation services to economically and educationally disadvantaged youth and adults in Massachusetts. Programming is delivered across nine training sites and includes the YouthBuild construction apprenticeship, ACHIEVE! youth opportunity program, Young Parents Program, Trade Adjustment Assistance, SNAP-Path-to-Work, Employment Prep (CIES), and AmeriCorps/YouthBuild service-year programming.

Product overview

Training Resources of America is a private nonprofit organization that has operated for over 51 years, providing education, employment, skills training, and workforce development services to educationally and economically disadvantaged youth and adults throughout Massachusetts. The organization operates multiple training sites across the state (Brockton, New Bedford, Quincy, Worcester, Springfield, Holyoke, Fitchburg, and Salem) and offers a portfolio of distinct programs including YouthBuild (construction skills training with HiSET preparation), the ACHIEVE! Youth Opportunity Program (customer service and office skills), Adult Basic Education/GED Prep, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Employment Prep Program (CIES), Young Parents Program, Trade Adjustment Assistance, and SNAP-Path-to-Work. These programs are designed to serve different target populations and provide pathways to employment, higher education, and industry certifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Basic Education / GED Preparation
• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Free English language instruction for non-native English speakers, delivered using a TRA-developed open-entry ESOL curriculum and supported by BurlingtonEnglish and other platforms. Open-entry/open-exit design allows continuous enrollment.
• YouthBuild Construction apprenticeship program for at-risk youth ages 16-24 combining construction skills training (HBI PACT, OSHA-10, NCCER) with GED preparation, leadership development, and affordable housing renovation in the community. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor.
• ACHIEVE! Youth Opportunity Program Out-of-school youth program offering educational and career pathway services, including HSE instruction and occupational skills training, designed to re-engage disconnected youth ages 16-24.
• Young Parents Program (YPP) Education and supportive services program for pregnant and parenting teens and young adults, combining academic instruction with parenting support and workforce preparation.
• Young Parents Demonstration Program (YPD)
• Employment Preparation Program (CIES)
• Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)
• SNAP-Path-to-Work
• AmeriCorps/YouthBuild
• ESOL for Hurricane Relocatees
• Industry-Recognized Certification Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 150+ program graduates since 2001 in Quincy alone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration37 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• CertainTeed CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner involved in YouthBuild USA experience, providing skill and life training opportunities.
• Carpenters Union Local 336majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnion partnership supporting YouthBuild Worcester. Keegan Valiton, YouthBuild graduate, is working toward apprenticeship with Local 336 Carpenters Union.
• YouthBuild USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational YouthBuild network partner providing program support, standards, and coordination for YouthBuild Quincy and Worcester programs.
• Worcester Housing AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for YouthBuild Worcester construction sites. Students work on rehabilitation projects at Great Brook Valley Gardens (525 units) and Curtis Apartments (372 units).
• Quincy Housing AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for YouthBuild Quincy program. Students work on roof/siding/window replacement at Riverview Family Development (180 buildings).
• The Fieldstone SchoolmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for YouthBuild Worcester Nurse Assistant/Home Health Aide Training track where young people earn state certifications.
• Worcester Common Ground, Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner for YouthBuild Worcester LEED certified construction project at 24 Merrick Street (900 sq ft home for low-income first-time homebuyers).
• Worcester East Side Community Development CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner for YouthBuild Worcester construction project at 12 Forbes Street (790 sq ft home for low-income first-time homebuyers).
• Central MA Workforce Investment BoardcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkforce investment board partner for workforce development coordination in Central Massachusetts region.
• Greater New Bedford Workforce Investment BoardcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkforce investment board partner for New Bedford region workforce development coordination.
• Greater Brockton Workforce BoardcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkforce investment board partner for Brockton region workforce development coordination.
• South Shore Workforce Investment BoardcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkforce investment board partner for South Shore region workforce development coordination.
• Massachusetts YouthBuild CoalitioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorState coalition coordinating YouthBuild programs across Massachusetts.
• MASSHirecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMassachusetts workforce development system partner providing career center and job training coordination.
• Community BuildersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity development organization partner for workforce and housing initiatives.
• Brockton Public SchoolsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner in Brockton for youth workforce development programs.
• Quincy CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education partner providing pathway opportunities for program graduates.
• Quinsigamond Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education partner providing pathway opportunities for program graduates.
• Bay State CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education partner providing pathway opportunities for program graduates.
• LARGE Training CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with LARE Training Center for Young Parents Demonstration Program, enrolling 400 low-income young parents across 10 Massachusetts locations.
• SABES (System for Adult Basic Education Support)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional development and support services for adult basic education instructors, providing training calendars, resources, and curriculum support.
• American Red CrossmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for YouthBuild Nurse Assistant Training Phase II, where students complete portions of the NAT program at ARC facilities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free tech workforce training to adults from underserved communities. Comparable mission and outcome-based model, though focused specifically on IT/cybersecurity pathways.
• Goodwill Industries of Massachusetts: Regional Goodwill affiliate operating workforce development, ABE/ESOL, and reentry programs across Massachusetts. Comparable adult education and job training offerings, with a broader retail-funded footprint.
• Year Up: National workforce development nonprofit serving young adults with training, corporate internships, and wraparound supports. Comparable target population (opportunity youth) and outcome-based funding orientation, though larger scale and tech-forward delivery.

Direct peers

• Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD): Large Massachusetts anti-poverty nonprofit delivering adult basic education, ESOL, youth workforce programs, and Head Start. Comparable program portfolio and target populations across Massachusetts.
• International Institute of New England: New England nonprofit providing ESOL, job readiness, and refugee resettlement services. Directly comparable ESOL curriculum delivery and immigrant/refugee target populations served in Massachusetts.
• Jewish Vocational Service (JVS Boston): Massachusetts-based workforce development and ESOL provider with similar adult education, job training, and refugee/immigrant services. Directly comparable service mix and geography.
• YouthBuild USA: National umbrella network of which TRA's YouthBuild Worcester and Quincy programs are affiliates. Directly comparable model: construction skills training, HiSET prep, and leadership development for low-income out-of-school youth.

Regional players

• Quincy College Adult Education: Local community college offering ABE/GED prep and ESOL programs in Quincy, MA — directly overlapping with TRA's Quincy training site offerings and competing for the same state DESE adult education funding.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tra.inc
• Xx.com/tramerica_inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Training Resources of America