Women looking for a career in the transportation and construction industry are encouraged to attend the “Women Build Metro L.A. Symposium Apprenticeship Readiness Fair” on Saturday, April 21, at the Zev Yaroslavsky Family Support Center in Van Nuys (7555 Van Nuys Boulevard) from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
L.A. County Supervisor and Metro First Vice Chair Board Member Sheila Kuehl is presenting the Women Build Metro Los Angeles (WBMLA) event, which is in its third year.
The event is a collaboration between Metro’s Diversity & Economic Opportunity Department, community advocates, trade unions, stakeholders and policymakers from the private and public sectors. Metro has been striving to increase the rank of qualified women candidates for apprenticeship and placement with all trades that work on Metro construction projects.
Job seekers will meet prime contractors and recruiters from trade unions and learn about free apprenticeship prep training and construction-related businesses. The event is also an opportunity to hear women in trade unions talk about their experiences and daily work life and career opportunities in Metro.
A panel of women representing prime contractors will also explain what their companies want when sponsoring apprentices and discuss best practices for increasing female participation.
After the formal program, attendees will be shown examples of trade unions’ work. This is done to help job seekers see the wide range of opportunities in the construction trades and the transportation industry.
Metro partners at the Apprenticeship Readiness Fair are Balfour Beatty Construction, SKANSKA, Build LACCD, the Electrical Training Institute of Southern California, the Los Angeles/Orange County Building and Construction Trades Council, Women in Non-Traditional Employment Roles (W.I.N.T.E.R.), LA Conservation Corp., LATTC, IBEW Local 11, Brother’s Keeper, Hensel Phelps, PCL Construction Service and the Youth Build Institute.
