Client Highlight
Miguel Contreras Foundation
Dr. Yanez’s first client was the United Steelworkers (USW) - Proterra Inc. Training & Apprenticeship Trust. From 2021-2024, Dr. Yanez served as the Program Manager of their pre-apprenticeship program titled an Introduction to Electric Bus Manufacturing. Other partners included the Miguel Contreras Foundation, Jobs to Move America, Los Angeles County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Service (WDACS), Pomona Valley AJCC and Citrus College. The Trust was the recipient of a $1 million dollar High Road Training Partnership (HRTP) grant. The 9-week training program was customized to the workforce needs at Proterra and instruction was delivered on-site by Citrus College. The participants were recruited by the AJCC from underserved populations and placed into high road jobs upon completion of the training.
This kind of model is a win-win!
Today, Dr. Yanez continue to serve as the Project Manager of what is now the Miguel Contreras Foundation Introduction to Electric Vehicle Technology training program. The program is 12 weeks long and includes Hydrogen, OSHA 10 and ASE EV 1 & 2. Training is located at Charter Oak Adult Education in Covina and is privately funded by Jobs for the Future (JFF). The target population is youth 18-24 years old and supportive services are provided by Pomona Valley AJCC, co-located on the Charter Oak campus. The program provides exposure to jobs in energy and foundational skills in electronics that can cross over to a variety of e-mobility jobs including e-bikes, forklifts, cars, trucks, buses, trains and more.
The State of California has a goal to reach Zero Emissions by 2035 and we know that youth are interested in climate change and are interested in jobs that might contribute to the reduction of their carbon footprint. The Miguel Contreras Foundation is the non-profit arm of the LA Fed. Unions play a key role in training workers and developing pre-apprenticeship programs that empower workers.
