In an effort to provide local residents with the skills needed to secure good jobs, as well as to address the workforce needs generated by new construction projects, the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) has kicked-off a new training program for construction trades, in partnership with the Warriors, Chase, Mortenson|Clark Joint Venture and local labor unions.

The pilot program, Chase Center Training, represents the first public and private workforce partnership for CityBuild, the City’s official Construction Sector Training agency.

“The Warriors are coming home to San Francisco and they are bringing good jobs and opportunities for people in our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Edwin M. Lee. “The Chase Center Training provides the guidance and resources necessary for our trainees to secure good jobs and the CityBuild Academy helps build the skills that our workforce needs to get large projects completed. It’s a win-win.”

Chase Center Training is a nine-week course that offers intensive, hands-on construction training and skill development for up to 50 San Francisco residents. The training is customized to address the specific labor needs of projects such as Chase Center Arena and many others, including Pier 70, Mission Rock, India Basin, the former Potrero Power Plant, Parkmerced, Treasure Island, the Southeast Sewer Improvement Project, the San Francisco Office of the Medical Examiner, California Pacific Medical Center and St. Luke’s Hospital, Moscone Center expansion, Transbay Transit Center, Central Subway, San Francisco International Airport, Van Ness BRT, Hunter’s Point Shipyard, Candlestick Point, and other infrastructure projects over the next few years.

These construction projects will require a pipeline of trained and qualified workers to fulfill specific jobs in high-demand trades. Chase Center Training focuses on individuals from low-income and underserved communities to ensure more residents are equipped with the education and skills necessary to be successful in the construction industry.

“From the beginning, we’ve seen the city, organized labor and the community as our essential partners in our effort to build something special in San Francisco,” said Warriors President Rick Welts. “Chase Center Training reflects that partnership.”

“We know how important it is to put focus on training people for jobs that are actually in demand—and that’s really what this partnership is all about,” said Georgette Bhathena, JPMorgan Chase’s Western Region Executive, Global Philanthropy. “Chase Center Training will serve as a talent pipeline for San Francisco’s growing construction sector, and will help fill important jobs with youth from some of our low-income communities.”

With more than $14 billion in construction development citywide, Chase Center Training offers intensive, trade-specific training to local residents, supporting their economic empowerment and upward mobility. Training for the pilot program focuses on four high-demand trades: Cement Mason (Local 300), Ironworker (University of Iron), Laborer (Northern California Laborers Training Center) and Pile Driver (United Brotherhood of Carpenters).

Funding for this pilot was supported by a $150,000 grant from Chase. The pilot is administered by the OEWD, with outreach and marketing support provided by GSW Arena LLC, the Warriors’ development arm, and recruitment provided by community partners such as Young Community Developers (YCD), Asian Neighborhood Design (AND), and A. Phillip Randolph Institute (APRI).  Employer participation is provided by Mortenson|Clark Joint Venture. The Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII) and Port of San Francisco also provided support for the training.

Upon completion of the training, the trainees will be connected to CityBuild’s existing Employment Networking Services (ENS), in order to receive job referrals to construction projects across the city.

“The Chase Center Training leverages CityBuild’s best in class model and expertise in construction workforce training," said Todd Rufo, Director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. "Over the years, CityBuild has cultivated strong partnerships with local trade unions and apprenticeship programs that break down barriers to employment and provide quality jobs for residents, especially those with barriers to employment.”

“I am here in the Chase Center Training program hoping to be a woman minority helping to build the Bay as a pile driver,” said Jovanda Higgs, resident of San Francisco. “I am single mother of four children and through self-motivation, I am determined to make a change in my life by diversifying my skills so I can work and make a good living for my family.”

CityBuild Academy is led by OEWD and has successfully trained more than 1,000 individuals and placed them in more than 1,500 jobs within various trades as laborers, carpenters, cement masons, electricians, plumbers, painters, ironworkers and many more.  Over the past 11 years, CityBuild has evolved into a network of trainings, employment services and policy administration, with trainees representing neighborhoods from across the City including Bayview Hunters Point, Visitation Valley, Mission, Excelsior, Ingleside, Bernal Heights and Western Addition.

Light refreshments and food for the participants is provided by La Cocina, a nonprofit in the Mission District that promotes low-income food entrepreneurs as they grow their businesses by providing affordable commercial kitchen space, industry-specific technical assistance and access to market opportunities.

For more information on Chase Center Training, visit www.chasecenter.com/training.

For more information on the Office of Economic and Workforce Development’s CityBuild Academy, visit www.oewd.org/city-build.

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