RAISING THE BAR: MC3 Pre-Apprenticeship Showcase and Graduation
On March 14th, CTWI, in collaboration with the Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council, proudly celebrated the graduation of our MC3 Pre-Apprenticeship cohort, Raising the BAR in Baltimore. 18 students—40% of whom were women—successfully completed our 6-week, hands-on training program, where they gained valuable skills from our union apprenticeship partners.
Students had the opportunity to meet and interview with key contractors, including Clark Construction, Stacy Witbeck, and Kiewit, who are spearheading major infrastructure projects such as Amtrak’s Frederick Douglass Tunnel and the reconstruction of the Key Bridge. The program also featured a week-long job shadowing experience, thanks to partnerships with Constellation and Allied Power.
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As a result, our graduates are already being placed into union apprenticeship programs and are starting to earn family-sustaining wages.
The graduation ceremony honored the students with industry-recognized certificates and featured inspiring remarks from keynote speakers, including Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen, City Council Member Jermaine Jones, and Cortney Jenkins, President of the AFL-CIO Baltimore.
Thank you to our program partners, Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, The Caroline Center and Community Services AFLI-CIO Baltimore
ANNOUNCEMENT: CTWI will be launching our next MC3 Pre-Apprenticeship Cohort in Prince George’s County on APRIL 14. To learn more contact Beli@ctwi-btca.org
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Student Spotlight: Kenyona Whitaker
Raising the Bar Graduate and newly accepted into IBEW 24
“My experience in the MC3 Pre-Apprenticeship Raising the Bar Program was life changing. It was enlightening to see all of the building trades apprenticeship programs, and I found myself wanting to be a part of it. Through this experience, I gained so much clarity and confidence about how I want to move forward in the future. I’m sure I want to join the Union.”
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Apprenticeship Showcases: IUEC Local 8 and UA Local 159
CTWI is excited to partner with local building trades unions to promote apprenticeship opportunities and connect MC3 graduates from Bay Area communities to rewarding careers in union construction trades. Both the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) Local 8 and UA Local 159 have apprenticeship openings in April.
CTWI collaborated with both locals to host Apprenticeship Showcases at their training centers in Vallejo and Martinez, CA, inviting over 100 job seekers to learn about the union construction trades.
IUEC Local 8 hosted its first-ever open house at the new NEIEP Training Center in Vallejo, CA, welcoming over 100 job seekers eager to explore careers in this dynamic trade. The event featured four hands-on workshops, providing participants a firsthand look at the skills and technologies used in the elevator construction trade. Additionally, attendees received valuable information about the Elevator Constructors Apprenticeship Program, which begins accepting applications on April 1st.
Local elected officials and workforce leaders also attended to show their support, including Solano County Supervisor Monica Brown, Fairfield-Suisun USD School Board Member Craig Wilson, and staff from the Solano County Office of Education—highlighting the importance of expanding career pathways in skilled trades.
| UA Local 159 also hosted their first-ever open house event with CTWI. Over 40 job seekers attended to explore high road plumber and steamfitter career opportunities. Job seekers interacted with four stations during the open house, including a welding station, a soldering station, a station to tour the facility, and a workshop station on the process to apply to the apprenticeship program. These job seekers will have the opportunity to apply as early as next week when UA Local 159 opens their applications beginning Monday, March 24th! | | | |
Women in Construction Week Commemoration
This month Assemblymember Liz Ortega and Assemblymember Mia Bonta co-sponsored the Women in Construction Resolution, highlighting the critical role women play in the skilled trades and the need to continue breaking down barriers to access.
CTWI staff joined the California State Building and Construction Trades Council at the Capitol alongside women construction workers and labor leaders to witness the commemoration.
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Launch of West Contra Costa Unified Adult Construction Math Test Preparation Course
CTWI is proud to announce the launch of our WCCUSD Test Prep Program, a critical initiative aimed at helping job seekers prepare for and pass union apprenticeship exams, opening doors to high-road careers in the construction trades.
Participants are receiving free, Saturday test prep sessions focused on the essential math skills required by various union trades.
This program is made possible through Community Project Funding, sponsored by Congressman John Garamendi, whose support is instrumental in expanding access to quality workforce development opportunities in his district.
See information about the WCCUSD Test Prep Program as well as other test prep programs in the East Bay below!
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First Graduates of the Del Valle High School MC3 Program in Livermore, CA
CTWI proudly congratulates the inaugural cohort of the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District Del Valle High School's MC3 Pre-Apprenticeship Program!
These graduates are now equipped with the knowledge, hands-on training, and industry connections needed to successfully enter union apprenticeship programs and launch high-road construction careers.
This program is made possible through Community Project Funding, sponsored by Congressman Eric Swalwell, whose support is helping to expand pathways into high-quality union careers for the next generation of skilled workers.
| | 2025 Fundraiser: Strengthening Communities, Constructing Opportunities | | |
We are excited to launch our 2025 fundraiser, Strengthening Communities, Constructing Opportunities Friday, May 2nd at the Zero Net Energy Center in San Leandro, CA This fundraiser will highlight our critical work to connect local communities to family sustaining, union construction careers through:
- Outreach and Education Campaigns
- Workforce Development
- Career Placement Services
- Advocacy for Quality Careers
At Strengthening Communities, Constructing Opportunities, attendees will learn from CTWI staff and our wider network of community partners on how we collectively work together to create a stronger and more resilient construction workforce.
Thank you to Alameda County Electrical JATC 595 for donating space for this event!
If you would like to sponsor, please contact Beli Acharya, Executive Director, at beli@ctwibtca.org. If you would like to donate to our mission, please visit ctwi.org/donate/.
| | CTWI is hiring a Senior Program Manager in the San Francisco Bay Area! If interested, please see the job description in the Careers section of the website! | | |
In Solidarity,
Beli Acharya
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