The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) announced on Jan. 21, 2025, $13 million in funding to be made available through the Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship (ERiCA) grant.
Administered by DIR's Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS), this second round of funding aims to expand opportunities for women, nonbinary individuals and underrepresented populations in the construction industry. In California, women comprise only 4 percent of building trades apprentices in roles such as carpenters, plumbers and electricians.
The grant program addresses barriers by providing child care, outreach and training to improve worksite culture. A key component of this effort includes assisting working mothers and parents with child-care costs, which has been identified as a significant barrier for women in the workforce. The grant provides flexible funding to cover the cost of day care or a babysitter, so parents and particularly mothers, can more easily attend their construction apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship programs to advance their careers.
"DIR's apprenticeship programs embody California's commitment to fostering a diverse workforce that enhances productivity and strengthens the economy," DIR Director Katie Hagan said. "The grant funding will continue our efforts to advance equity and inclusion while meeting critical labor market demands in high-need industries."
"Building trades apprenticeships offer a significant opportunity for economic mobility and this grant ensures that we are breaking down barriers and building awareness among women, non-binary individuals, and underrepresented populations in construction careers," said Adele Burns, the acting chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards.
The grant also covers training, mentoring and mental health supports to create a more inclusive environment on construction worksites. The training focuses on anti-harassment and anti-discrimination and is for everyone on a construction work site including apprentices, workers, contractors, and managers. One-on-one mentorship opportunities also will be offered to foster upward mobility for women, non-binary individuals, and underrepresented populations in construction.
These apprenticeships have transformative impacts, as seen in the story of Sonia Cervantes. After working in retail for more than 10 years, she joined a pre-apprenticeship program that provided the skills and support needed to transition into a thriving career in construction, highlighting how these programs open doors to new possibilities.
How We Got Here
During the first round of the ERiCA grant, $25 million in funds were dispersed to 19 programs. In this second round of funding, DIR seeks to continue on this improved trajectory of gender representation in building trades.
The Construction Trades Workforce Initiative (CTWI) is an example of one program that's demonstrated success, given about 60 percent of the apprentices and pre-apprentices CTWI serves are women. Apprentices who graduate typically earn starting wages of $75,000 or more per year.
California has the largest number of active apprentices in the country. Gov. Gavin Newsom has set an ambitious goal to serve 500,000 apprentices by 2029. Additional earn-and-learn programs aim to raise this number to more than 620,000. Since 2019, California has already served 200,938 apprentices, solidifying its position as the nation's leader in registered apprenticeship programs.
What's Next
Construction apprenticeship programs can now apply for the second round of the ERiCA grant. A public information webinar took place on Feb. 13, 2025, to provide an overview of the grant and answer questions received from interested applicants.
DAS consults with employers to develop a skilled workforce by establishing innovative apprenticeship programs that offer training to create viable career pathways for California.
