Workforce Development Contract to Help Overcome Employment Barriers

The San Bernardino Community College District’s Economic Development and Corporate Training (EDCT) Division recently received a two-year, $353,214 Industry Driven Regional Collaborative (IDRC) grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) to provide training in Advanced Manufacturing or Welding Applications to 84 long-term unemployed adults with barriers to employment such as those recently released from prison. John Longville, president of the Board of Trustees of the San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD), said, “A major mission of the SBCCD is to stimulate the economic prosperity of the Inland Empire through workforce development, and this program exemplifies that goal.” San Bernardino Community College District Chancellor Bruce Baron said, “Creating a streamlined structure to return workers to viable employment assists the individuals, the employers and the economic stability of the Inland Empire. This serves the mission of the EDCT, which is to stimulate the economic prosperity of the Inland Empire.” The training will prepare the participants for jobs with advanced manufacturing and logistics companies. In order to ensure success for the graduates, the college districts have partnered with community based organizations and received commitments from local area employers that are represented by the Inland Empire Manufacturer’s Council. Graduates will receive certification through the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) or American Welding Society (AWS) processes and be prepared for entry-level jobs with advanced manufacturing, logistics or small fabrication companies. Dr. Matthew Isaac, the EDCT chief executive officer, said, “EDCT programs continue to demonstrate the local economic climate well-served through individually designed, quality retraining. This award was the product of the dedicated work of Robert Levesque, Director of Workforce Development and Deanna Krehbiel, Interim Manager of Workforce Development." This competitive grant won by EDCT is one of seven such grants awarded to a community college district in California. This is a collaborative project supported by the Inland Empire Manufacturer’s Council, the San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board, and the Deputy Sector Navigator for Advanced Manufacturing as well as the two training partners: Chaffey College and Barstow College Districts. A total of six cohorts of 14 participants each will be trained and placed into new jobs. With experience, these entry-level workers have the opportunity to earn over $24 per hour as either mechanical or electrical craft operators. Each college partner will provide instruction using the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) curriculum, where they will be taught Industrial Maintenance Mechanics or welding that use the American Welding Society (AWS) curriculum. The graduates will receive a nationally and industry-recognized, stackable and portable NCCER or AWS certificate upon successful completion of the training.