San Diego Job Corps Center Site Visit with OFCCP

On October 30, 2023, Jennifer Fritzel, Regional Outreach Coordinator, Engie Mota, San Diego District Office Director, Megan Gutierrez, San Diego District Office Assistant Director, met with Kelly Jenkins-Pultz, Regional Administrator, Women's Bureau, and Milagros Steele, Regional Director, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) at the San Diego Job Corps Center. Joining the group was Kris Galicia Brown, Governing Board Member, Southwestern College. OFCCP, WB, and ETA were warmly greeted by the San Diego Job Corps' leadership team, to include Carld Wisch, Center Director. The Job Corps' leadership team introduced themselves and their roles, as well as introductions shared by OFCCP, WB, and ETA. Jennifer gave a brief overview of the agency and our purpose of the site visit. Jennifer introduced OFCCP's designated Mega Construction Projects located throughout the region, specifically, the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry Mega Construction Project. Jennfier highlighted OFCCP's interest to partner with ETA and the Job Centers in the region to uplift pre-apprenticeship/apprenticeship programs in the supply and service and construction industry to support the designated Mega Construction Projects. In addition, Jennifer offered the Job Corps Center the opportunity for workers' rights training and compliance assistance education for the staff and students. The Center Director is very interested in OFCCP's training and will connect with Jennifer or Milagros to schedule. Following the leadership meeting, OFCCP received a tour of the entire Job Corps training facility by two students enrolled in their program. One student was in the culinary program, and the other was in the electrical trades program. OFCCP learned the San Diego Job Corps Center currently has 347 students and has the capacity to enroll 555 students. The construction training programs in the offered at the Job Corps Center include carpentry, construction, brick laying, advanced manufacturing and welding. The programs offered at Job Corps is self-paced and depending on the program students enroll in, courses may be completed in weeks to months. For students interested in a construction trade that requires additional skills in math or reading, there are separate courses students can take to build their skills in these subjects. In addition to basic learning or specialized skill training, Job Corps also offers supportive service courses, for example, driver's education. OFCCP connected with a Carpenters Southwest Regional Council member, who is also an instructor at the Job Corps Center. This instructor is part of the local union and interested in supporting the Mega Construction Project locally. Contact information was exchanged with OFCCP, and he plans to reach out to identify points of interest for the Otay Mesa Construction Project. After the site visit, OFCCP, WB, ETA, and Southwestern College briefly held a roundtable discussion to summarize the site visit, identify how each agency can amplify DOL's resources to maximize the opportunities the Mega Construction Projects offer. The discussion also discussed the need for supportive services and how to better support the construction industry trades workers. Kris Galicia Brown shared she's a new governing board member with Southwestern College, and in her new role she's exploring ways for the college to support the Mega Project. Kris has a strong connection to many folks in the construction industry in San Diego and is interested in partnering with OFCCP to support the Otay East Port of Entry Mega Construction Project. OFCCP, WB, and ETA representatives present during this discussion are supporting the upcoming webinar being hosted by OFCCP during the National Apprenticeship Week. The group discussed how this webinar will increase awareness to WANTO grants, Job Corps, Apprenticeship, and Mega Construction Projects, and based on the outcomes of this webinar, a plan to move forward to continue increasing awareness for economic opportunities.