California Construction News staff writer
A workforce development program backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s LA Rises initiative, the Walter Family Foundation and state workforce recovery funding is aimed at training construction workers and accelerating rebuilding efforts in Los Angeles following recent wildfires.
The initiative includes funding for a new Construction Trades Lab at Pasadena City College, which will expand and modernize training for students entering the skilled trades as the region faces increased demand for construction workers during long-term recovery.
“Wildfires have changed the scale of what this region needs, not just in homes, but in people with the skills to rebuild them,” Newsom said in a statement. He said the state is investing in workforce training to support recovery while creating pathways to well-paying careers.
California Labor Secretary Stewart Knox said rebuilding Los Angeles will take years and require thousands of skilled workers. “Our role is to ensure workers are ready to meet what this moment demands, so recovery restores both homes and livelihoods,” Knox said.
Nearly 2,400 students have enrolled in Pasadena City College’s building trades and technical education programs over the past three years, including building construction, carpentry, welding, electrical and electronics technology, design technology and machine shop training. The new Construction Trades Lab is expected to increase capacity and modernize training environments.
As part of a groundbreaking event, Knox and members of the PCC community participated in a build project with San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity. Volunteers constructed walls and panels that will be used to rebuild a home destroyed in the Eaton fire.
The Construction Trades Lab is supported by public funding and a $2.8 million philanthropic contribution from the Walter Family Foundation through LA Rises. The project also received $500,000 from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to support workforce development and regional rebuilding efforts following the Palisades and Eaton fires.
In addition to construction training, PCC received about $408,000 through the Employment Training Panel, part of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, to train 218 workers in the manufacturing sector. The program provides employer-driven training in production, leadership, supply chain management and advanced manufacturing.
State officials said LA Rises has also supported recovery by connecting communities with rebuilding resources, helping local governments speed up building permit reviews through an AI-powered tool, and launching an online resource to assist fire survivors navigating reconstruction.
Separately, the Newsom administration said it continues to support businesses affected by the wildfires through executive orders deferring licensing fees, extending sales and use tax deadlines in Los Angeles County, and deploying more than 200 small business advisors across the region.
The state is continuing to seek federal disaster funding to support long-term recovery, including rebuilding homes, schools and infrastructure, assisting small businesses and restoring damaged water and emergency response systems.
More information is available at ca.gov/lafires.
