California created the Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship Grant to cultivate workforce diversity. The goal is to increase the number of women, nonbinary individuals, and members of underserved communities in construction apprenticeships to meet the demand for infrastructure creation.
Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship Grant Details
The Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship Grant is administered by the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS). The organizations are distributing $25 million to elevate outreach, help cover child-care costs, and strengthen community-building resources to increase opportunities for women, nonbinary individuals, and members of underserved communities to secure high-paying construction jobs and develop career paths.
Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship Grant Resources
The dispersal dates for the Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship Grant are April 2023 – June 2025.
Supportive resources for childcare
Up to $3 million in child-care resources will be distributed to each grantee with DAS-registered construction pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs hiring parents with child-care challenges. The funds can be used for childcare support stipends for participants’ children.
The supportive resources for childcare awards include:
- Pre-apprenticeship: $5,000 per eligible apprentice in a registered pre-apprenticeship program
- Apprenticeship: $10,000 per eligible apprentice in a registered apprenticeship program
Supportive resources for outreach and community-building
The supportive resources for outreach and community-building depend on the program(s) applied to:
- Up to $2 million will be distributed to each grantee who applied for only outreach and community-building.
- Up to $4 million will be distributed to each grantee who applied for child-care, outreach, and community-building resources.
Build California Is an Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship Grant Awardee
Build California is a statewide initiative to inspire, engage, and activate the next generation of construction professionals through registered apprenticeships. The workforce development program is led by Associated General Contractors of California (AGC CA) through the AGC Construction Education Foundation (AGC CEF).
In March 2023, Build California was awarded a $500,000 Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship Grant for outreach and community-building. The grant is the largest the AGC CEF or Build California ever received.
Outreach and community-building efforts
The grant funding will help Build California develop and expand outreach communication and programmatic efforts:
- Targeted social media campaigns will reach over 10 million potential workers, including over 10,000 girls, young women, and other underserved individuals ages 12-24 attending at least 24 California high schools and community colleges.
- Underserved individuals will be offered customized career counseling services to place at least 150 workers per year in partner pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship programs.
- Printed construction career outreach materials and other resources will be given to partner pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship programs.
- Statewide contractor and employer sponsor match events will ensure program participants who graduate find placement in the next step of their construction careers.
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