A cohort of 14 students have compelted their training through the California High-Speed Rail Authority's (CHSRA) Central Valley Training Center pre-apprenticeship program, bringing the total number of graduates through the program to 206.
CHSRA says the program has provided an opportunity for entering students to develop as professionals while learning more about the construction trades. The pre-apprenticeship training program targets veterans, at-risk young adults and minority and low-income populations in Central Valley, Calif.
During the course of the 12-week program, students are introduced to various construction trades from journeyman-level professionals. For students Adrian Vasquez and Ponyboy Gonzales, the program was a chance to pave the way towards a new career.
Before entering into the program, Vasquez worked as a finisher for a tile company and now credits the training center for giving him the confidence to enter the trades and encourages others to do the same.
“My advice to future students is just have an open mind,” Vasquez said. “Go for it because you’re going to learn a lot of things here. The trades come here and talk with you. Hopefully, it opens your mind to continue this journey in being in a union.”
The program also allows students to participate in a high-speed rail construction tour to learn more about the project to inspire interest in this line of work moving forward.
After graduation, Gonzales hopes to become a laborer or carpenter and wants to work on building the U.S.'s first electrified high-speed rail system.
“It was interesting to tour the project,” Gonzales said. “It’s going to be part of American history and is going to bring a lot of opportunities and jobs.”
The Central Valley Training Center is a project of the CHSRA, in partnership with the city of Selma Calif., Fresno Economic Development Corporation, the Fresno, Madera, Kings, Tulare Building Trades Council and the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission.
Since the start of the project, the CHSRA has created more than 13,500 good paying construction jobs, a majority of which are going to residents of the Central Valley.
