Meaningful Partnerships Address Construction Workforce Shortages

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 counties in the trades.

The California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) and the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California (SBCTC) actively support ValleyBuild’s efforts. They recognize the significant difference the program makes in people’s lives by providing career opportunities and its vital role in addressing workforce shortages in the construction industry.

Marc Cowan, field specialist on the Equity, Climate, and Jobs Team at the CWDB, provides direct technical assistance to grantees of the High Road Construction Careers (HRCC) Initiative. ValleyBuild is one such grantee. Cowen shares, “ValleyBuild is an impressively innovative project that has long set the standard for what HRCC can be at its very best.” He continues, “They are a flagship of the HRCC Initiative, and much of what they have implemented around recruitment, training, and supportive services have been singled out by the CWBD as best practices that can inform the approach of existing and emerging HRCC partnerships in other regions of the state.”

“ValleyBuild is an impressively innovative project that has long set the standard…”

Marc Cowan, Equity, climate, and jobs field specialist at California Workforce Development Board

Jeremy Smith, chief of staff at the SBCTC, runs the day-to-day operations, implementing the visions of the elected President of SBCTC, Chris Hannan. Smith explains, “We support ValleyBuild by providing technical assistance to them about the Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) and to help make connections between them and our local craft trade unions and Building Trades Council.” He adds, “ValleyBuild is so sophisticated, however, that they have maintained many of those connections themselves, but we stand ready to make any new connections they need to continue serving individuals seeking assistance.”

ValleyBuild stands out for its exceptional curriculum, training, and coursework. Students go through an intensive four-to-10-week program consisting of the Bridge to MC3 Construction, Math, Vocational English as a Second Language, and safety and tools training. Cowan shares, “The ValleyBuild Program lifts people out of poverty by connecting them to middle-class careers in the building and construction trades.” He expands, “It also provides the state of California with the skilled and trained workforce needed to build and maintain the infrastructure that is vital to our economy.”

Smith agrees, “ValleyBuild is truly making a difference and changing people’s lives for the better. They are working with individuals with barriers to employment who have signaled an interest in joining the building and construction trades.”

ValleyBuild facilitates the coordination between local unions and individuals, assisting them in entering pre-apprenticeship programs. The organization further prepares future apprentices for construction careers by educating them on work hours and requirements, and equipping them with the necessary tools and work attire for apprenticeships.

Cowan and Smith emphasize that ValleyBuild’s comprehensive approach effectively prepares its graduates for trade work, significantly reducing attrition rates. The program boasts high graduation rates, and its participants are well-prepared for job site success after completing the pre-apprenticeship training.

The MC3 certification sets these graduates apart, ensuring they have chosen the trade that best suits them. Graduates exit the program fully aware of the responsibilities and requirements for construction workers, including the need to commute, adhere to a no-drug policy, work hard, and start early, setting them up for a successful apprenticeship journey.

For more information about ValleyBuild’s programs, visit them online at valleybuild.net or call 855-805-7245.