Apprenticeship e-News

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May 2023

March 2023

A Word From a Journeyperson Janay

Before I got in the union, I was doing in-home care in Beverly Hills for Tatum O’Neal. It wasn’t the best job, but I couldn’t complain. I went in everyday with a positive attitude ready to work ... Read More

December 2022

October 2022

August 2022

July 2022

Carl-Cimino

Carl Cimino was raised in construction. He spent many -days and evenings helping his father with remodel projects, and later working for him on housing tracts from Pleasanton to Half Moon Bay. ... Read More

Madison-Goss

When my ability to work as a nanny was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, I was working a string of odd jobs, ranging from patient transport, to grocery store clerk, to serving at a local restaurant. ... Read More

April 2022

Brenda Childress, S4CA Executive Director

The Santa Clara County Construction Careers Association, known as S4CA, was founded in a quest for collaboration. S4CA is a partnership of construction industry organizations, educational institutions and community agencies that promote the construction industry and apprenticeship as a viable career alternative. ... Read More

Rising Sun Group Tour

On March 3, DAS Chief Eric Rood joined Labor Secretary Natalie Palugyai, Deputy Labor Secretary Abby Snay, Department of Industrial Relations’ Director Katie S. Hagen and DIR Chief Deputy Deanna Ping on a tour of the Rising Sun Center for Opportunity’s Opportunity Build in ... Read More

March 2022

February 2022

Eric Rood

The last couple of years have been challenging for all of us, including in the apprenticeship community. Our apprenticeship programs and our apprentices have fought through the COVID-19 pandemic with perseverance and hard work. I’ve seen creativity and resilience in programs, as they pivot and continue to provide quality training ... Read More

Stephani Ruane

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Operation and Maintenance Apprenticeship Program began in 1971. When the program first began in the ’70s, DWR started with six hydroelectric plant operator apprentices in a one-room classroom in Bakersfield. Today, much of DWR’s workforce consists of apprentice graduates ... Read More

John and Mercedes Hong, directors of Fontana-based The Spot Apprentice Academy, dreamed of helping individuals turn their passion for barbering and cosmetology into reality. That reality came true with the help of the Los Angeles Unified School District and DAS ... Read More

ABC Norcal

Joseph Peterson, a fifth year ABC Northern California (ABC NorCal) apprentice, has been awarded the prestigious Southwire 2021 Top Gun Apprentice. The recipient of the award is selected by Southwire Company based on who received the highest scores throughout the apprenticeship program ... Read More

Jessica Flores welding

It took quite a while for the Ironworkers to welcome women into their ranks. The first known women Ironworker, Kelly Mann, was from Local 751 Alaska. She started working Iron in 1975. Fast forward to today. Ironworkers Local 229 has many female journey workers and apprentices, as do most of the other locals... Read More

My name is Joseph Aragon III, and I’m a United States Army veteran and third-year Commercial Electrical Apprentice with WECA Member Contractor Reyff Electric Company. Before becoming a commercial electrical apprentice, I served as a 63B-wheeled vehicle mechanic in Afghanistan and at Joint Base Lewis-McChord just outside of Tacoma, Washington ... Read More

Archived Issues

March 2023