[Call To Order]
[00:00:05]
GOOD. GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO THE CITY OF COACHELLA. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE ON SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2026. ALL COMMENTS CAN BE PROVIDED IN PERSON, EMAIL OR BY TELEPHONE, OR YOU CAN ATTEND THROUGH ZOOM. I'LL CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING AT 516 AND THEN. MARY, CAN YOU LEAD US INTO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? THANKS. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
VERY GOOD. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE. THANK YOU. AND THEN CAN WE DO ROLL CALL? YES. CHAIR DELGADO, I'M HERE. VICE CHAIR
[Approval of Agenda]
PRESENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THEN I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. AND THERE ISN'T ANY MINUTES TO APPROVE. AND THEN WE'LL GO ON
[Presentations]
TO OUR PRESENTATION FROM FOR WORKFORCE TRAINING AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES. YES. THANK YOU CHAIR. IS THIS MICROPHONE ON I GUESS? YEAH IT IS. OKAY. MAKING SURE I CAN'T EVEN HEAR MYSELF. WELL, GOOD. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS PRESENTATION BEFORE YOU WILL COVER THE TOPIC OF WORKFORCE TRAINING AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. THE CITY OF COACHELLA HAS BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO FOSTER AND DEVELOP MORE RESPONSIVE AND NIMBLE WORKFORCE BY TRAINING FOR FUTURE SEGMENTS OF THE ECONOMY AND CONVENING A REGIONAL CONSORTIUM OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS TO MOBILIZE AND WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE MEANINGFUL JOB CREATION. AND SO RIGHT NOW, THROUGH COACHELLA PROSPERA, WE ARE BRINGING IN THE CENTER FOR EMPLOYMENT TRAINING, WHOSE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS HERE, MISS MELISSA CORREA. AND THEY ARE OFFERING THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRAINING THERE FOR COACHELLA. PROSPERA. WE HAVE A GREEN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION SKILLS COURSE. THE HVAC TECHNICIAN AND GREEN TECHNOLOGY COURSE, AND ALSO THE NEW ONE IS ELECTRICIAN FOR BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL. AND THEN WE HAVE GREAT ALTERNATIVES OFFERING THE BASIC INSTALLATIONS OF SOLAR PANELS, TRAINING. THEY HAVE THE SOLAR CORPS FELLOWSHIP AND THEN THE SOLAR FUTURES WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL, WITH THE HIGH SCHOOLS.THEY'RE WORKING WITH COACHELLA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL AND NOVA ACADEMY, AND THEN WE HAVE THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MOUNTAINS FOUNDATION. THEY HOUSE THE URBAN YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS, AND THEY'RE BRINGING IN URBAN FORESTRY, URBAN GREENING, ENERGY AUDITS AND ZERO WASTE.
AND THEN CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION. AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE MISS MELISSA AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ELECTRICIAN LAB THAT IS GOING TO BE COMING LIVE VERY SOON HERE. IT HAS BEEN COMPLETED. IT HAS BEEN FINALIZED BY THE CITY OF COACHELLA BUILDING OFFICIAL. WE ARE NOW JUST SIMPLY AWAITING A AN INSPECTION BY THE STATE AND A LABOR UNION THAT IS GOING TO BE COMING THROUGH, I BELIEVE, NEXT WEEK. AND AND SO AS YOU SEE HERE, THEY'RE ALREADY SET UP TO BEGIN THE COURSES. SO THE CLASSROOM UP AT THE TOP WHERE YOU SEE THE LITTLE THE PICTURE WITH ALL THE ELECTRIC ELECTRIC MODULES, THERE'S MORE THAN THAT.
I JUST HAPPEN TO CAPTURE THAT ONE PICTURE. AND SO UP WHERE YOU SEE THE STEEL FRAMING, THAT'S COMMERCIAL TRAINING THAT WILL HAPPEN THERE. AND THEN WE HAVE THE RESIDENTIAL TO THE RIGHT. SO WE'RE REALLY, REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY WELL PAID WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS. AND, AND IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO ACTUALLY LAUNCH THEIR OWN COMPANIES. AND SO WE'RE REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. AND SO FAR, MELISSA ALREADY HAS A WAITING LIST. AND LET ME HAVE LET ME INVITE MELISSA TO THE PODIUM TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW MANY STUDENTS WE'VE ENROLLED SO FAR, AND THEN HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ALREADY INTERESTED. SO LET ME TURN IT OVER TO HER. SURE. SO WE HAVE A WAITLIST OF ABOUT 50 INDIVIDUALS WHOM ARE WAITING FOR US TO OPEN THE PROGRAM. WE HAD SOME DELAYS WITH PERMITTING, BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE THAT ALL TO SPEED, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FINAL INSPECTIONS. THESE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GRADUATE FROM THE PROGRAM. AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF LYRICS AND NAVARRO, WHO'S HERE, WE'LL PAIR THEM WITH EMPLOYERS AND THEY WILL HAVE THEIR FIRST JOBS WELL ABOVE THE MINIMUM WAGE. AND IT'S JUST A STARTING POINT FOR AN AMAZING TRAJECTORY FOR THEM TO JUST MOVE FORWARD AND GROW. WE HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH A LOT OF LOCAL EMPLOYERS,
[00:05:05]
AS WELL AS SOME REGIONAL EMPLOYERS GOING INTO RIVERSIDE. SO WE'RE JUST ANXIOUSLY AWAITING OPENING THIS PROGRAM AND NOT TO SPEAK OF THE HVAC PROGRAM AND CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM ARE BOTH WILDLY SUCCESSFUL. OUR TRAINING RELATED PLACEMENT RATES ARE ABOVE 70%, WHICH IS VERY HIGH. WE'RE THE HIGHEST IN OUR COMPANY. AND OVERALL IN ACADEMIA, THAT'S A VERY HIGH NUMBER FOR TRAINING RELATED PLACEMENT. AND AGAIN, HIGHER WAGES THAN THAN MINIMUM WAGE OR MINIMUM STARTING AVERAGE WAGE IS ABOUT $22. WOW. AND IT'LL GO HIGHER AND HIGHER BECAUSE I MET I KNOW SOMEONE HERE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA WHO WAS ABLE TO GO THROUGH AN ELECTRIC ELECTRICIAN CERTIFICATION PROGRAM THROUGH CODE. I THINK IT WAS. HE IS NOW MAKING $50 AN HOUR MORE THAN THAT. AND HE IS ALSO FINALLY OPENING UP HIS OWN ELECTRIC BUSINESS. I THINK THAT'S AMAZING. AND SO I'M, I'M JUST EXCITED FOR THIS JOURNEY. AND, AND I ALSO WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO I THINK I HAVE MORE PICTURES OR MAYBE NOT. I WANTED TO TELL THE COUNCIL ALSO ABOUT CITY AND HOW MELISSA RECENTLY OPENED UP 200 ZERO SQUARE FEET OF SPACE. AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WHAT COULD SHE DO THERE? AND SO WE WANTED TO BRING THAT TO OUR CITY COUNCIL AS WELL, TO TALK ABOUT HOW SHE WOULD LIKE TO OPEN UP EITHER, I THINK, A GREEN PLUMBING OPPORTUNITY THERE, OR MAYBE TRAINING TO HAVE PEOPLE BECOME LIKE ELECTRIC VEHICLE TECHNICIANS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THESE JOBS ARE ARE IMPORTANT IN THE FUTURE. AND WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT KNOW HOW TO WORK ON AUTOS THAT ARE ZERO EMISSION OR ELECTRIC. AND BUT ALL OF THAT TAKES A LITTLE MONEY. AND SO MELISSA WAS JUST TRYING TO TELL US ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO TAKE ABOUT $80,000. AND SO SHE JUST WANTED TO KIND OF COME HERE TODAY TO TELL US ABOUT WHAT THE GOOD WORK THEY'RE DOING. BUT THEN ALSO ABOUT MAYBE IF THE COUNCIL HAS OTHER THOUGHTS ABOUT OTHER JOB OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU GUYS KNOW OF THAT PERHAPS WE COULD THINK ABOUT FOR CITY, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL. BUT RIGHT NOW, MELISSA IS INTERESTED IN INTRODUCING PLUMBING. I THINK IT WAS. SO WE DO HAVE 2000FT■!S OF SPACE. OPENING UP A PLUMBING IS A VERY EXPENSIVE BUILD BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO SO MANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE TO THE EXISTING STRUCTURE. WE'RE OPEN TO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS GET HIRED. SO WE NEED IN-DEMAND JOBS. PLUMBING IS VERY HIGH ON THE LIST. WHEN I RESEARCHED THE LAST LABOR MARKET INDEX, AND WE ALSO HAVE A COMPANY READS THAT WILL DONATE EQUIPMENT FOR US.SO IT WOULD BE A MATTER OF US DOING THE BUILD OUT. THEY WOULD DONATE THE EQUIPMENT AND WE COULD. THAT WOULD BE A NICE, EASY GREEN FIX. BUT WE'RE OPEN TO COLLABORATION. ONE OF THE THINGS IS IF WE DO PLUMBING, WE WOULD HAVE A VERY MALE DOMINATED CAMPUS. IT MIGHT BE NICE TO DIVERSIFY AND HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S MORE ATTRACTIVE TO OUR FEMALE POPULATION, BUT WE HAVE TIME. THE SPACE IS OPENING UP. SO AGAIN, WE'RE OPEN TO COLLABORATION AND SEEING WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THERE AS WELL. I THINK PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL PROGRAMS IS WONDERFUL FOR WOMEN. I THINK THAT'S VERY EXCITING. I AGREE WITH YOU. AND I THINK IF THEY WOULD JUST ENROLL IN THE PROGRAM, THEY IT WOULD BE LIMITLESS THERE. BUT IT'S JUST A MATTER OF ATTRACTING WOMEN TO GO INTO THOSE TRADES. HOW MANY FOLKS DID YOU SAY ARE HAVE APPLIED FOR THE ELECTRICAL PROGRAM? WE'RE AT ABOUT 50. SO WE'RE GOING TO START WITH OPENING UP THE 25 THAT WE CAN ENROLL FOR THE DAY CLASS. AND SIMULTANEOUSLY, WE WILL ONBOARD AN INSTRUCTOR AND OPEN A PM CLASS TO ADD ANOTHER 25. AND THEN EVENTUALLY WE'LL DO KIND OF A HYBRID MODALITY SO WE CAN INCREASE CAPACITY TO ANOTHER 30.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER 100 STUDENTS A YEAR POTENTIALLY. AND THESE ARE SPECIFIC TO COACHELLA RESIDENTS. NO, NOT NECESSARILY, BUT THE MAJORITY ARE THE EAST VALLEY. SO SELENA, WHEN WE'RE PROVIDING GRANT MONEY, IT'S NOT SECURED JUST FOR THE CITY OF COACHELLA. NO, IT IS FOR TCC. SO WHATEVER CITY IS DOING. SO WHENEVER SHE ENROLLS PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST FROM COACHELLA, THAT FUNDING IS FOR THEM. AND THEN IF SHE HAS ADDITIONAL PEOPLE AND ROOM FOR OTHERS, THEN THE OTHER PEOPLE CAN COME IN AS WELL. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THE WAY THEY'VE BEEN RECRUITING, IT'S BEEN VERY CANVASED AND TARGETED. AND SO SHE'S BEEN ENROLLING ONLY PEOPLE FROM COACHELLA. AND THEN OUTSIDE OF THAT, ONCE WE EX OBVIOUSLY EXPEND THE FUNDS, THEN WE, YOU KNOW, CITY CAN RECRUIT OTHER PEOPLE AND IT COULD BE EASTERN COACHELLA VALLEY OR JUST COACHELLA VALLEY WIDE, BUT IT'S MOSTLY BEEN COACHELLA, PROSPERA INDIVIDUALS.
[00:10:04]
I THINK WE HAD 38 IN THE ANNUAL REPORT OR HOW MANY? I THINK IT WAS LIKE, YEAH, WE'VE ALMOST WE'VE ALMOST DEPLETED OUR ENTIRE FUNDING FOR THE HVAC PROGRAM AND WE'RE CLOSING IN ON THE CONSTRUCTION. SO THEY GO VERY QUICKLY. THE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR TCC. AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE NOT, WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING? SO WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH IRAN AND THEY'VE CREATED A GRANT FOR US THROUGH EDX. SO THAT'S A SOURCE OF FUNDING. WE HAVE THE FARMWORKER GRANT, WHICH IS ANYONE WHO HAS WORKED IN THE FIELDS OR THEY'RE AS A DEPENDENT. THEY CAN APPLY. I'M MISSING ONE. I THINK YOU HAVE THE STATE FAFSA. SO ALL OF OUR GRANTS ARE LEVERAGED WITH PAL. SO WE HAVE THE FAFSA GRANT, BUT PRIMARILY FARMWORKER ED TCC.AND THEY RECENTLY WENT THROUGH A VERY STRENUOUS, RIGOROUS ACCREDITATION PROCESS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND STATE LEVEL. SO I'M VERY PROUD OF CITY FOR ACTUALLY BEING A VERY, VERY GOOD SCHOOL FOR ESPECIALLY THE CITY OF COACHELLA. AND I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 45 YEARS. YES. AND THE COMPANIES WE'RE WE'RE CLOSING IN ON 60 YEARS. WE ALSO THE RECIPIENT OF A GRANT CALLED HIGHER TWO. WE ORIGINALLY HAD HIGHER ONE, HIGHER TWO IS COMING TO FRUITION IN OCTOBER. AND THAT IS ANYONE WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL MEMBERS? YEAH, JUST A COUPLE. WHERE IS THIS ELECTRICIAN LAB? IS IT LOCATED WITHIN YOUR BUILDING? IT IS. IT IS OKAY. NEXT TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD. I KNOW WHERE IT IS, BUT I WAS WONDERING, LIKE, DID THEY BUILD THIS OFF SITE SOMEWHERE ELSE? I SEE IT ALL THE TIME THEY HAD TO ACQUIRE. DO YOU WANT TO TELL THEM HOW YOU HAD TO EXPAND AND THEN DO ALL THAT? SO YEAH, WE, WE HAD EMPTY SPACE THAT PLANNED PARENTHOOD HAD. SO WE TOOK THAT OVER. WE JUST. OH THAT'S GOOD. BLEW IT OUT. DID A WHOLE BUILD OUT AND YEAH, REFURBISHED THE WHOLE SPACE. THAT'S GOOD. AND THEN WITH REGARDS TO HOW DO YOU GET. YOU KNOW, LIKE WOMEN TO BE INTERESTED IN, IN SOME OF THESE FIELDS? I THINK SHARING OR TEACHING THEM ABOUT IT OR DOING SOMETHING LIKE, LIKE AN INTRODUCTION, LIKE, HEY, BUT IT HAS TO BE VERY, I THINK, KIND OF GEARED TOWARDS THAT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY WOULD BE ABLE TO PARTNER AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE SOME FIELDS THAT ARE HERE IN THE CITY. AND IF YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THEM, WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS, WHAT'S YOUR AGE GROUP FOR A LOT OF THESE, FOR THESE TRAININGS THAT YOU HAVE PRIMARILY 18 TO 24, WE ARE SEEING AN UPTICK IN OLDER ADULTS WHO ARE LOOKING TO RESKILL BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY, BUT PRIMARILY 18 TO 24. IT'S GOOD. AND I THINK WHAT MAKES THE ALL OF THEIR OFFERINGS REALLY LUCRATIVE AND APPEALING TO PEOPLE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THEY CAN BE ACHIEVED WITHIN, I THINK THE ELECTRICIAN, YOU TOLD ME NINE MONTHS. YEAH. ALL OF OUR COURSES RIGHT NOW ARE 900 HOURS. SO BOILS DOWN TO ABOUT EIGHT AND A HALF TO NINE MONTHS. WE CAN ALSO, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT NEW SKILLS, DO SKILLS THAT ARE LESS HOURS. IF WE WANTED TO LOOK AT SOME OTHER OPTIONS IN THAT REGARD. AND. 18 TO WHAT ABOUT HAVING THEM PARTNER AND SEE IF THEY CAN.
ALSO, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT COURSES COD PROVIDES WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OF THESE TRADES, BUT I THINK ALSO PARTNERING WITH THEM AND SAYING LIKE, HEY, MAYBE YOU DON'T OFFER THIS KIND OF TRAINING, BUT WE DO. HOW CAN WE COME ON YOUR CAMPUS AND MAYBE JUST SHARE THE INFORMATION THAT THIS IS WHERE WE'RE LOCATED? I THINK THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO AND SHARING THAT INFORMATION WITH THE STUDENTS. DO YOU RECEIVE ANY FUNDING OR DO YOU PARTNER AT ALL WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE COUNTY? WE PARTNER WITH THEM. THEY DO, YOU KNOW, THEY DISTRIBUTE OUR FLIERS AND SO FORTH. BUT THERE'S NOT REALLY A DIRECT PROGRAM WITH WORKFORCE. I WISH THERE WERE BECAUSE THAT WOULD MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE. YEAH, BUT THERE'S NOT SOMETHING DIRECTLY RELATED WHERE THEY FUND ANYTHING. OKAY, LET'S CONNECT THEM WITH LET'S CONNECT THEM WITH TWO DIFFERENT ENTITIES, ALL UNDER THE COUNTY.
BUT THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE SOMETHING WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE EITHER SOME KIND OF RESOURCE, BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THEM TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM. AND THEN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ALSO AND SEE IF THEY'RE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING. I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE ARE HELPING THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY BEING ABLE TO GO THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE AWESOME IF WE COULD ALSO HELP PEOPLE FROM SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD STOP THERE, BUT I KNOW OBVIOUSLY THROUGH THE CITY IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T KIND OF BRIDGE THE GAP WHEN IT COMES TO OTHER RESIDENTS. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
[00:15:06]
CITY HAS BEEN SO AMAZING. I, I REMEMBER WHEN YOU GUYS EVEN DID KIND OF WENT INTO THIS OTHER SPHERE AND IT WAS WHEN YOU HAD CAP RIVERSIDE DOING THE TAX PREPARATION. WE STILL DO THAT.OH THAT'S GOOD. THAT WAS REALLY GOOD. THAT WAS REALLY COOL. AND, AND THAT KIND OF REMINDS ME OF WHAT YOU MENTIONED, JUST CONNECTING WITH THESE OTHER ENTITIES AT THE COUNTY TO PERHAPS CREATE LIKE SOME PARTNERSHIP AND, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY GOOD ABOUT CREATING PARTNERSHIPS. AND SO MAYBE WE JUST HAVE A CONVERSATION AND SEE WHAT WE, WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW THE PEOPLE AT BOTH OF THESE OFFICES. SO THAT THAT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA. SURE. WE'RE OPEN TO ANYTHING, ANY TYPE OF COLLABORATION. ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S GREAT. AND THESE ARE GREAT PROGRAMS. THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY GREAT PROGRAMS. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR SHARING THE INFORMATION. I FEEL LIKE I KNOW YOU FROM SOMEWHERE, I DON'T KNOW FROM SCHOOL OR SOMETHING. I LOOKED OVER, I WAS LIKE, I KNOW YOU FROM SOMEWHERE. PERHAPS, MAYBE NOT FROM SCHOOL. OKAY. JUST DIFFERENT COMMUNITY EVENTS. YEAH. OKAY. YOU LOOK FAMILIAR. THANK YOU. HOLD ON. I THINK I THINK THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, I THINK THAT IS. ED, IS THAT ED THE ED IS THE STATE ONE. OH, I SEE, I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING, BUT YEAH, ED IS A STATE ONE. AND THEN WE HAVE THE MORE LOCALIZED ONE, WHICH IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THROUGH THE COUNTY. OH, I SEE, SO I DON'T KNOW. SO I THOUGHT I ALWAYS THOUGHT ED WAS LOCAL. SO ED IS UNEMPLOYMENT, THE EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AT THE STATE LEVEL. YOU KNOW HOW THEY OFFER NOT JUST UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, BUT THEY ALSO OFFER JOB PLACEMENT AND WORKFORCE TRAINING. AND THEN LOCAL IS MORE SPECIALIZED THAN MAYBE. OH, I SEE. YEAH. AND I'M THINKING THERE MUST BE SOMETHING BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LIKE WHEN WE'VE DONE DIFFERENT LIKE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS THROUGH THE COUNTY, AND BOTH OF THOSE ENTITIES ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR WORKFORCE. SO I'M THINKING, WELL, WHY NOT FIND A WAY TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE? I THINK THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF YOU COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON THAT. WE DO GO TO MONTHLY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS. WE'RE VERY INVOLVED WITH THEM.
THEY JUST THERE'S SOMETHING INSIDE ME. I'M LIKE, WHY DON'T WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S MORE TANGIBLE TO, TO GET PEOPLE EDUCATED AND UPSKILLED, BUT THEY DON'T SEEM TO HAVE THAT RIGHT PROGRAM. SO MAYBE THERE'S SOME FUNDING THAT WE CAN RESEARCH AND, AND SEE WHERE WE WHERE IT GOES. WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, PLEASE. YEAH, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? I JUST WAS REMINDED OF ANOTHER ONE AND IT WAS THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND I DID WORK WITH SOME NON-PROFITS TO KIND OF BRING IN, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM. AND SO PEOPLE WERE GIVEN LIKE A SMALL SCHOLARSHIP OF $5,000 TOWARDS THEIR TUITION. AND SO WE DID, WE DID HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT HERE. OH MY GOD, LIKE EIGHT YEARS AGO AT THE CITY. AND, AND IT WAS THROUGH THIS NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. SO BECAUSE THAT WAS THEIR FUNDING SOURCE. AND SO WE JUST HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD PEOPLE THAT WERE LOW INCOME ENROLLING IN THE PROGRAM. AND SO ANYWAY, BUT YEAH, WE'LL CONNECT AND BRAINSTORM BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY WANT YOU WANT YOU TO MAXIMIZE THAT SPACE THAT YOU HAVE COMING UP, YOU KNOW, 2000FT■!S OF TRAINING SPACE, A LOT OF SPACE. SO THAT'S GOOD. YEAH. FOR THE ELECTRICIAN, ELECTRICIAN WORKERS, ONCE THEY, ONCE THEY GET CERTIFIED AT THAT POINT, ARE THEY CONNECTED WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS OR AGENCIES TO START WORK? OH, ABSOLUTELY. SO WE DO ONCE A YEAR WHAT'S CALLED A TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING. BUT BASICALLY WE GET EMPLOYERS THAT ADVISE OUR ADVISE US ON OUR CURRICULUM, BUT ALSO HIRE OUR OUR STUDENTS. AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD MULTIPLE TAC MEMBERS FOR THE ELECTRICIAN PROGRAM TO. SO OUR STUDENTS WILL BE SUCCESSFULLY HIRED. WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH WEST COAST ELECTRIC AND BARRY CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS OUT IN RIVERSIDE. THEY EMPLOY 200 ELECTRICIANS A YEAR. SO WE'RE. WE JUST NEEDED TO OPEN. YEAH.
AND THEN FOR FOR LIKE THE IBEW IS WHO COMES IN AND DOES CERTIFICATION, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S UP TO THE STANDARD THAT IT NEEDS TO CORRECT. RIGHT. SO ONCE THEY'RE DONE WITH THE CERTIFICATION, DO THEY ALSO POSSIBLY GET EMPLOYMENT THROUGH IBEW? YEAH. WE WOULD LOVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH UNIONS. SURE. WE'RE OPEN TO HAVING OUR STUDENTS GO. AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE GOING TO, ONCE THE PROGRAM OPENS, OFFER A COURSE CALLED MC THREE. AND IT'S A MULTIPLE CORE COMPETENCY COURSE. THAT IS A COURSE JUST TO INSTRUCT STUDENTS ON HOW TO PASS THE APPRENTICESHIP APPRENTICESHIP EXAM FOR THE UNION. I SEE, SO THEIR EXTENT IS MAKING SURE THAT THAT THE FACILITY ITSELF IS UP TO THE STANDARD NEEDED TO GET
[00:20:03]
CERTIFIED, CORRECT, THE PROPER CERTIFICATION. AND THEN AT THAT POINT, THEN WE WE NEED TO BUILD MAYBE STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM, I THINK AT THAT RATE. SURE. MELISSA, CAN YOU TELL OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHEN IS THE INSPECTION POSSIBLY? I THINK YOU SAID IT COULD HAVE BEEN THIS WEEK OR NEXT WEEK. YEAH, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WEEK. I WOULD IMAGINE IF IT'S NOT TOMORROW, IT'LL BE NEXT WEEK. ONCE THEY PASS US, THEN IT GOES TO THEIR MONTHLY MEETING WHERE THEY GIVE US THE GREEN LIGHT TO GO, BUT THEN WE STILL HAVE TO SUBMIT PICTURES AND THE APPROVAL TOWARDS OUR AGENCIES, WHICH IS CO OR DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND BFP. ANOTHER, ANOTHER FACTOR THAT THAT MAKES US ACCREDITED. YEAH. NICE. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. IT'S NOT IT'S NOT AS YOU TALKED ABOUT, ALL THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, IT'S NOT EASY TO MANAGE. AND THE FACT THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS AND THE CLASSES AND SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, BECAUSE IT'S VERY SPECIALIZED. IT IS, IT'S VERY SPECIALIZED. AND SO TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT THESE STUDENTS ARE COMING IN INTO THE RIGHT PROGRAM BECAUSE, YOU KNO SOMETIMES WE MAY THINK OF A CERTAIN PROGRAM, AND ONCE YOU'RE THERE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES PERHAPS PEOPLE HAVE A CHANGE OF HEART, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMS, I THINK IS, IS PRETTY ADMIRABLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH. WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU GUYS CAN SUPPORT THEM WHENEVER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE MELISSA DID INVITE THE CITY TO BE THERE IN SUPPORT WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN THESE INSPECTORS COME OUT OR, YOU KNOW, AND I SAID, OH MY GOD, WELL, OF COURSE WE WANT TO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT REMINDS ME OF TCC AND HOW WE WERE ALL PRESENT. AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY SEE THAT THERE'S REGIONAL LOCAL SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, AND SO MELISSA IS GOING TO TELL US WHEN THIS INSPECTION IS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND HOPEFULLY WE HAVE TIME TO, TO GET THERE. RIGHT. SO WE DID ASK OUR CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL, LISANDRO TO THINK ABOUT BEING THERE. AND HE WAS LIKE, ABSOLUTELY. I FIND THAT WHOLE BUILDING, YOU KNOW, SO HE WAS LIKE, I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THIS.HE WAS LIKE, I'LL BE THERE. HE COULD PROBABLY GIVE A CRASH COURSE. YEAH. SO HE WAS LIKE, I'M HAPPY TO BE THERE. SO I WAS REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE MELISSA AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE LIKE, OH, THERE WAS SOME MINOR THING. AND, YOU KNOW, WE, SHE WANTS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMMEDIATELY ADDRESS WHATEVER THIS MINOR THING IS LIKE TO HAVE HIM BRING HIS TOOLKIT. SO, SO YEAH, THAT'S GOOD. BUT SHE'LL KEEP US POSTED. ABSOLUTELY. I THINK IT'S PLUMBING. I'M SO SORRY. NO.
YOU'RE GOOD. COUNCILMEMBER, IS PLUMBING JUST MAYBE ONE OF THE TRADES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, ARE YOU LOOKING AT IT JUST IT'S IN THE FOREFRONT OF MY MIND BECAUSE COLTON, OUR CITY COLTON CAMPUS DID OPEN IT. AND I KNOW WITH THE LME, IT'S VERY MUCH IN DEMAND. IT'S JUST EXPENSIVE TO BUILD OUT. AND PLUS WE HAVE THE COMPANY THAT WOULD DONATE THE EQUIPMENT, WHICH MAKES THINGS A LOT EASIER. YEAH. BUT YOU KNOW, THAT BEING SAID, A LOWER OVERHEAD SKILL. WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT AS WELL. WHEN YOU SAY IT'S IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO ROLL OUT THAT PROGRAM, HOW MUCH THEY INVEST IN THAT PROGRAM ITSELF OR THE BUILD OUT, I GUESS, IS THE SPACE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE BUILD OUT IS ABOUT $100,000 AND THE EQUIPMENT'S DONATED. AND THEN THAT'S REALLY THE BIGGEST EXPENSE. THE INSTRUCTORS ARE GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE. BUT WITH THE EQUIPMENT DONATED, WITH THE DONATION TO DO THE BUILD OUT, IT'S VERY DOABLE. YEAH, YEAH. I THINK I SAY THIS BECAUSE I THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO THINK OF A PROGRAM OR A TYPE OF TRADE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON ONE THAT I THINK WILL BE VERY BENEFICIAL. AND IF THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO GO A LITTLE BIGGER, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BRING THE MOST, I THINK, EDUCATION OR WORKFORCE. YOU KNOW, I THINK MAYBE THAT'S THE BETTER ROUTE TO GO. YOU KNOW, WE ARE OPEN TO ANY SUGGESTIONS. AND AGAIN, IF WE IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY. YEAH, QUITE FRANKLY. YEAH. WE'RE A NONPROFIT. SO YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU.
YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND ANY OTHER CONCLUDING THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS,
[Staff Comments]
COUNCILMEMBER, DO YOU HAVE ANY. I DON'T HAVE ANY. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR HEARING US.AND WE JUST ARE WORKING VERY HARD TRYING TO BOLSTER OUR WORKFORCE PIPELINE IN COACHELLA AND BUT ALSO DOING CAPACITY BUILDING BECAUSE WE DO BELIEVE THAT BY TRAINING OUR WORKFORCE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE BETTER PREPARED TO RECEIVE FUTURE INDUSTRY IN OUR CITY, RIGHT? WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE WORKFORCE, BUT ALSO HELP PEOPLE BREAK THAT GENERATIONAL CYCLE OF POVERTY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO GET PAID BETTER. AND LIKE I SAID, THE GENTLEMAN THAT I KNOW, HE IS A SUCCESS STORY. HE WAS ABLE TO BUY A SIX BEDROOM HOME HERE IN
[00:25:05]
OUR CITY BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAD HOUSING STOCK FOR LARGE FAMILIES. AND HE HAS A LARGE FAMILY AND OH MY GOD, NOW HE TOTALLY CAN CAN PROVIDE FOR THEM GETTING PAID $50 AN HOUR AS AN ELECTRICIAN. WONDERFUL STORY. YEAH. SO, SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR LISTENING TO OUR PRESENTATION. AND LIKE I SAID, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY, ANY COMMENTS, ANY OF YOUR TEAM HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR THINGS? MARY. NO. OKAY. WE'LL BE IN THE MEETING. OH, SORRY, I GOT TO GO. YEAH. VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. SO YEAH, THAT'S GOOD. I REALLY HOPE YOU GUYS CAN SEE IT. OH YEAH. DEFINITELY. ANYTIME. THAT'S WONDERFUL. AGAIN, IT'S IT'S HERE. AND ME BEING A MOTHER OF FOUR BOYS JUST AND EVEN HAVING A 24 YEAR OLD. I KNOW IT'S REALLY GOOD.YEAH, YEAH. AND OUR YOUNG ADULTS ARE LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY'S COLLEGE BOUND. I'M ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME, IS THAT THERE'S SO MUCH FOCUS ON COLLEGE, COLLEGE, COLLEGE. AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL TELL YOU, THE SINGLE PARENT IS THAT I HAVE SO MUCH LIKE COLLEGE LOANS, I HAVE TO PAY OFF BECAUSE IT BECOMES VERY EXPENSIVE. IT REALLY, REALLY DOES. AND IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO PAY IT OFF QUICKLY, YOU KNOW, THEN THERE'S INTEREST AND IT REALLY BUILDS AS, I MEAN, AS WELL, A LOAN SPECIFIC LOAN, BUT TOWARDS EDUCATION. AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUNG ADULTS THAT I THINK TRADE SCHOOLS AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS IS, IS A GOOD WAY TO GO. AND I HOPE THAT OUR, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS START PUSHING THAT NARRATIVE MORE AND START CONNECTING MORE WITH, LIKE I SAID, AND ORGANIZATIONS AND UNIONS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THESE GOOD JOBS BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF OUR YOUNG FOLKS WHAT HAPPENS IN THE CLASSROOM, THEY GET DISCOURAGED BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE OUT OF PLACE, THAT THEY DON'T BELONG, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE STORY THAT'S BEING TOLD, IT'S NOT FOR THEM, BUT THEY'RE EAGER, THEY'RE HARD WORKING, THEY'RE INTELLIGENT, AND THEY WANT TO START A FAMILY AND THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THEM. SO I THANK YOU, LADIES, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. YOU REALLY
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.