Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board, Author at N&R Spotlight

Becky Barabe in a workshop smiling for the camera

From Classroom to Construction Site in the Central Valley

October 16, 2024 Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board

ValleyBuild and Community Colleges Collaborate by Whip Villarreal The Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board has intensified efforts to enhance its ValleyBuild training program by partnering with colleges across the region, providing participants with more opportunities […]

Alissa Reed standing in front of the UA 460 local union sign with her arms crossed and smiling

Leveling the Playing Field in Construction Trades

October 16, 2024 Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board

How ValleyBuild prepares workers for union apprenticeship by Raul Clement Union construction jobs are highly coveted for their pay, benefits and worker protections. However, the path to joining a construction union may not always be […]

Alexis Rowberry in construction gear kneeling at a construction site outside

ValleyBuild Creates Inclusive Opportunities in Construction

October 16, 2024 Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board

Women break barriers in the trades by Gail Allyn Short “ValleyBuild changed my life. My life is completely different because they gave me an opportunity.” Alexis Rowberry, ValleyBuild participant & electrical apprentice with IBEW Local […]

Nidia Chicas working with heavy machinery in a workshop

Building a Career

September 23, 2024 Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board

Pre-apprenticship program gives students a leg up in the construction industry by Anne Stokes Nidia Chicas has done a lot in her life: She’s worked as an assistant cook and secretary for the school district, […]

Jose Nunez doing construction work in a yard with four other men in hi-vis gear

Opening Doors: A Second Chance for Jesus Nunez

September 17, 2024 Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board

A transformational journey from prison to employment by Matt Jocks For Jesus Nunez, it had been a life of closed doors. When one of those doors opened and he got to see what was on […]

Jerry Irvin, a black man in a green long sleeved shirt, stands at his place of work with his arms crossed over his chest looking towards the camera

Rebuilding Hope: Jerry Irvin Finds a New Career Path

September 13, 2024 Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board

How a single dad turned his life around and emerged stronger by Whip Villareal When Jerry Irvin joined the ValleyBuild training program, he was a single father living off unemployment benefits after his auto-body shop […]

Builder worker with pneumatic hammer drill equipment breaking asphalt at road construction site

Meaningful Partnerships Address Construction Workforce Shortages

July 19, 2024 Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board

Training unrepresented populations in the Central Valley by Kathleen Vivaldi ValleyBuild, a Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board program, critically contributes to California’s building and construction sectors by training underrepresented community members in 14 Central Valley […]

Light at the End of the Tunnel: How ValleyBuild helps Central Valley residents find high-paying jobs

January 9, 2024 Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board

Finding a high-paying job without a college degree can be challenging, particularly in rural areas. In recent years, a program called ValleyBuild has aimed to rectify thi […]

Construction workers on a bridge in the Central Valley

Time Is of the Essence in Fresno: Why skilled workers are needed now—and how a program called ValleyBuild is helping that effort

January 8, 2024 Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board

California’s Central Valley feeds the nation. The Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board is intent on ensuring the valley doesn’t see its own tables sit empty. […]