Labor

ValleyBuild is a training program started by the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board with the aim of preparing students for apprenticeships and careers in construction. The program lasts six weeks, and is based on the multi-craft core curriculum, or MC3, meaning students learn skills ranging from electrical work to forklift operation. The instructors come from local union affiliates in the Building Trades Council. […]

Phillip Fitzgerald loved his job. For 32 years, he worked as a commercial driver, most recently transporting senior citizens. He was at his last job for nearly five years before the pandemic hit and the company shut down. After a year of lockdowns and COVID-related closures, he finally found another job, only to have that company relocate out of state after two and a half months. With a family to support, Fitzgerald needed to find work. […]

When the SlingShot Regional project was launched in 2018, there were plenty of players at the table. Representatives from the education, health care and workforce development sectors were all looking for a comprehensive way to address issues and needs in the health care sector. […]

As of 2020, California was home to over 4.1 million small business. These businesses employed half the state’s workforce and were responsible for nearly two-thirds of new jobs. To say small business is vital to California’s economy would be an understatement. […]

The Workforce Development Board of Solano County collaborates with a number of local agencies to help veterans find jobs and train for new careers. […]

The Workforce Development Board of Solano County and its partners are giving ex-offenders and justice involved citizens a path to employment. […]

Employment specialists analyze each client’s level of education, skills, work history and goals and teaches them how to carry out a successful job hunt–no matter what their barrier to employment are. […]

Apprenticeships are a way to build a skills-foundation and receive an education, all while earning a competitive wage. And for employers, investing in employees leads to greater employee satisfaction, which in turn leads to better workers and longer employee retention. […]

Complex problems require complex solutions. It’s tempting to think homelessness can be solved merely through more affordable housing. But that’s just a stopgap. The homeless need a living wage, jobs that use their skills, and resources like gas money and child care in order to continue working. These needs won’t be met by one agency alone. But when organizations like CWA unite with private partners, they can change the lives of people like Markitha Welcome and Malik Woods. […]

The California Workforce Association works with boards throughout the state to match local workers with a local business–which has a hug impact on individuals’ lives and the regional economy. […]

CityBuild in San Francisco is a national model and a prime example of how local workforce boards have built partnerships that meet the needs of residents and industry. […]