A free program is extending a helping hand to Bridgeport high school dropouts by turning them into certified construction workers.

"Youth Build" gives a free chance to get a job to Bridgeport residents between the ages of 18 to 24 from low-income backgrounds.

On Thursday, the group was working with Habitat for Humanity to build a house from the ground up on Deforest Avenue.

Participants of Youth Build also take classes toward their diploma or GED, which is a requirement of the program.

George Clark, a participant in the program, had hopes of becoming an electrician, but ended up leaving school and going to jail.

Clark decided he needed to turn his life around, saying, “I came home and realized that I'm getting too old to do the same thing.” Youth Build gave him that chance, and he hopes to use the program and its results to make his family proud.