Program offers opportunity to connect with construction fields

Through the coordinated efforts of several local agencies, a preapprenticeship program called “North State Builds” is being offered to introduce interested participants to the various fields of construction.

“The program provides education on construction careers and introduces the students to the different construction trades and union apprenticeship programs,” said Cindy Newton, executive director of the Northern Central Counties Consortium. “A union job provides good wages, retirement and health care.”

The North State Builds program is a partnership between Northern Central Counties Consortium Workforce

Board, the Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Humbodt, Shasta, Sutter, Tehama, and Yuba County America’s Job Centers (One Stop) and local apprenticeship programs.

Newton said local One Stops will provide outreach, recruitment, case management, work readiness skill training, supportive services and job placement assistance.

“They even pay for the first months of union dues if the client enters a union job,” said Newton.

The Yuba-shasta JATC and Local Union 228 Plumbers/pipefitter/hvac are an integral piece to the project, said Newton, and provide their local facility for the Yuba-sutter classes and provide the instructors for all 16 planned classes throughout the north state region.

According to Newton, the program started as a pilot program with some

grant funding in 2016 from the California State Workforce Development Board and was a partnership with the North Central Counties Consortium, Sutter County One Stop, Yuba County One Stop and

the Mid-valley Building Trades and the Yuba Shasta J.AT.C. Local Union 228.

The first year’s program was a success, said Newton, and additional funding through Proposition 39 and Senate Bill 1 have continued to fund classes.

The 140-hour preapprenticeship training program will run April 5 through May 7.

Participants must be at least 18 years of age, must have a valid driver’s license, have a high school diploma or GED as well as reliable transportation and a working cell phone.

Those that complete the pre-apprentice program will have the opportunity to apply to an apprentice program to learn the skills of a particular trade.

For more information, call 822-5120 extension 3068 (for Sutter County) or 749-4850 (for Yuba County).