CA High-Speed Rail Authority Celebrates Pre-Apprenticeship Graduates

The California High-Speed Rail Authority recently recognized 16 students who completed the 12-week, Central Valley Training Center pre-apprenticeship program.

The pre-apprenticeship program is aimed at serving veterans, at-risk young adults, minority, and low-income populations in the Central Valley. Students learn about more than 10 different construction trades and exit the program with several industry-specific certifications and job placement assistance for a year after graduation.

The Central Valley Training Center is a project of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, in partnership with the City of Selma; Fresno Economic Development Corporation; the Fresno, Madera, Kings, Tulare Building Trades Council; and the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission. High-speed rail contractors including Tutor-Perini/Zachry/Parsons and Dragados-Flatiron Joint Venture, along with various subcontractors, have either committed or interviewed graduates of the program to join their workforce.

More than 13,000 construction jobs have been created since work began on the high-speed rail project, with more than 70 percent for Central Valley residents. On average, nearly 1,400 individuals are dispatched each day to a high-speed rail construction site.

This cohort was solely funded from the U.S. Economic Development Administration through the Good Jobs Challenge.