HireLAX’s Orientation Draws More Than One Hundred Local Residents
ORIENTATION FOR HIRELAX, LAWA’S FREE APPRENTICESHIP READINESS PROGRAM, DRAWS MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED LOCAL RESIDENTS
(Los Angeles, California – August 22, 2017) This past Saturday, more than 100 Los Angeles-area men and women ready to build the future of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) attended the HireLAX Apprenticeship Readiness Program (ARP) at Los Angeles Southwest College. HireLAX is a partnership between Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) and the Los Angeles Community College District (specifically Los Angeles Trade Technical College and Los Angeles Southwest College), the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades, and the Flintridge Center in Pasadena. Saturday’s mandatory orientation included an overview of the HireLAX program, a testimonial from a construction worker who benefited from a similar program, information regarding physical training, and interviews for those interested in participating in the 8-week training program.
"The men and women who showed up Saturday morning for the HireLAX orientation are a testament to the caliber of workers we have in the local community, and their interest in training for and getting construction jobs in and around the airport," said Samson Mengistu, Chief Operating Officer for Los Angeles World Airports. "LAWA is incredibly excited by the high level of interest in our apprenticeship readiness program, and we look forward to working with these students, as they receive construction skills training through the hands-on instruction needed to be hired and make a career in the building trades."
HireLAX is a workforce development program that will prepare local residents for skilled craft labor careers to support the $14-billion capital improvement program at LAX. Out of those in attendance on Saturday, thirty students were chosen for the program’s first class, which starts on Monday, September 11, 2017, and ten were placed on a waiting list.
The first thirty individuals selected for HireLAX include nine women, twelve people who have been involved with the criminal justice system, and two individuals who are homeless or in transitional housing. The class is approximately 70 percent African American and 27 percent Hispanic.
The free 8-week program will be held at Los Angeles Southwest College. Instructors will come from Los Angeles Trade Technical College, and additional guidance and assistance will be provided by the LA/OC Building Trades. Case management will be provided by the non-profit Flintridge Center. The program will prepare participants for entrance to union apprenticeships, and students will also receive comprehensive case management to help them develop soft skills and overcome barriers to employment, such as a lack of high school diploma or GED, transportation, childcare, homelessness, access to construction tools and personal protective equipment, as well as strategies for how to address involvement in the criminal justice system. Program graduates will be connected with union apprenticeship programs and contractors to begin their construction careers at LAX.
Saturday’s mandatory orientation drew 109 individuals. Of these, 12 already had previous experience and training in construction trades, and were "fast-tracked," which means they did not need to participate in the training to be added to LAX’s list of individuals available for work or apprenticeship programs. Of those remaining, 86 decided to participate in interviews. For those at the orientation who chose not to move forward with the interview process, LAWA’s Business & Job Resources Center team and Los Angeles County America’s Job Centers of California were on hand to share additional job resources, including other opportunities at LAX. Every candidate who was interviewed or fast-tracked is eligible for supportive services and assistance to overcome barriers to employment readiness. Those that were not chosen will be sent information on other immediate job training opportunities, and also have the opportunity to apply for future HireLAX classes.
The HireLAX program was developed within the framework of LAWA’s Project Labor Agreement (PLA), which is a partnership between LAWA, its contractors, and local construction unions. The PLA requires contractors and unions to refer local workers to the project, and outreach to persons who have not previously qualified to be employed on construction projects, especially minorities and women. The LAWA Project Labor Agreement and the HireLAX Apprenticeship Readiness Program are managed by Pasadena-based Parsons Corporation.
About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
LAX is the fourth busiest airport in the world, second in the United States, and was named one of Skytrax’s 2017 Top 10 Most Improved Airports. LAX served more than 80.9 million passengers in 2016. LAX offers 737 daily nonstop flights to 100 cities in the U.S. and 1,386 weekly nonstop flights to 88 cities in 44 countries on 73 commercial air carriers. LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with more than 2.2 million tons of air cargo valued at over $101.4 billion. LAX handled 697,138 operations (landings and takeoffs) in 2016.
An economic study based on 2014 operations reported LAX generated 620,600 jobs in Southern California with labor income of $37.3 billion and economic output (business revenues) of more than $126.6 billion. This activity added $6.2 billion to local and state revenues and $8.7 billion in federal tax revenues.
The study also reported that LAX’s ongoing capital-improvement program creates an additional 121,640 annual jobs with labor
income of $7.6 billion and economic output of $20.3 billion, $966 million in state and local taxes, and $1.6 billion in federal tax revenues.
LAX is also the second most popular airport in the world to appear on Instagram according to wego.com. LAX is part of a system of two Southern California airports – along with Van Nuys general aviation – that are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles that receives no funding from the City’s general fund.
For more information about LAX,
As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Alternative formats in large print, braille, audio, and other forms (if possible) will be provided upon request.
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