Friends,

This Thursday, you are invited to a briefing about a new report commissioned by Community Change that analyzes IBEW Local 18's pre-craft trainee (UPCT) program. This program provides important lessons about how to successfully move low-wage workers into stable, high-paying public sector jobs.

In Los Angeles, the UPCT program has been hugely successful, with 83% of participants hired into a public sector job at a median hourly wage of $39.15 per hour. 77%  of respondents were people of color, all previously unemployed or in low-wage jobs. A number of those hired were previously incarcerated. 

The UPCT program is a cornerstone of the RePower LA coalition's efforts to help make clean energy and good jobs at the LA Department of Water and Power (DWP) accessible to all Angelenos while lowering their utility bills. The program is run by IBEW Local 18, one of the anchor partners of RePower LA, along with SCOPE and LAANE.

The report's findings have big implications, especially as the Biden administration pivots to advancing an infrastructure plan that will seek to create jobs for low-wage workers and the unemployed, including the millions of Black, brown, and immigrant workers who were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The briefing will be held Thursday, April 15, 2021, from 10 am-11:30 am PT/1 pm-2:30 pm ET. 

Speakers will include Virginia Parks, Ph.D., Professor at UC, Irvine, and author of the report; Shawn McCloud, Assistant Business Manager of IBEW Local 18 and manager of the UPCT program; Cynthia McClain-Hill, President of the Board of Commissioners of LA Department of Water and Power; Agustin Cabrera, Director of RePower LA. 
Participant(s) from the UPCT program will share their stories. 

You can read the report here: UPCT Report 

RSVP Here