Caltrans today announced that the state has been awarded $2.7 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) job training grants for eight California workforce development centers. California received more than 20 percent of the national share of the grants awarded to 19 states and two territories.

The grants, from the Federal Highway Administration’s “On the Job Training/Supportive Services” program, will fund pre-apprenticeships and training centers in California for women, minorities, veterans, and disadvantaged individuals pursuing careers in the highway construction industry.

“These grants will help to create opportunities during these tough economic times. We are providing crucial job training to people that will help lay the groundwork for jobs and drive California on the road to economic recovery,” said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in a written statement.

California’s grant recipients are the following:

• The California Disabled Veteran  Business Alliance in Sacramento received $367,483 to provide education and training for veterans seeking skilled highway construction jobs.
• The Center for Training and Careers in the cities and counties of San Jose, Alameda County, Fresno County, Los Angeles County and San Joaquin County participating in the “Foundation Builders-Working Together to Build a Better Foundation” program received a total of $796,415. These funds will provide outreach, recruitment, orientation, work readiness training, supportive services and placement assistance.
• The Century Community Training Program in Los Angeles received $290,000, which will provide construction industry skills training in highway, street and bridge construction, placement, and supportive services to increase participation by women, minorities and disadvantaged individuals in highway construction.
• The Family Management Matters ”Warriors Career Bridge” program in Anaheim and Orange County received $256,620. These funds will establish communication channels between veteran organizations and public works employers to identify the veteran’s skill gaps. These funds will also work toward implementing an internship/training program to prepare veterans for careers in public works and transportation infrastructure development and maintenance.
• The Northern California Teamsters Apprentice Training and Education Trust Fund in Rancho Murieta received $208,543 to provide participants with a five-week commercial driver license course, plus an additional two weeks of specific construction vehicle training.
• The Pacific Gateway in Long Beach received $230,789 to provide outreach and recruitment, orientation, assessment, construction-related training, on-the-job training, intensive placement activities, supportive services, job referral, job placement, and job retention assistance in high paying, skilled highway construction positions.
• The Sacramento Employment and Training Agency received $338,590 to provide women, minorities and other disadvantaged individuals construction industry skills training and support to increase their participation in highway construction.
• The United Job Creation Council Re-entry Construction Employment Project in Los Angeles received $254,840, which will be used to gain access to job preparation, training, and retention opportunities by providing highway construction industry skills training, tools and equipment.

“These grants will provide people the required skills to find jobs in highway construction and create a trained workforce to improve our transportation infrastructure for generations to come,” said Caltrans Director Randy Iwasaki in a Caltrans press release.

Under Governor Schwarzenegger’s leadership, California leads the nation with $2.54 billion in Recovery Act funding obligated to 912 highway, local street, and job training transportation projects statewide. For more information on the Recovery Act, to go http://recovery.ca.gov/ ^[1]