HIRELAX PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM KICKS OFF ITS FIRST DAY OF CLASS WITH EMOTIONAL STORIES FROM STUDENTS, AND PRAISE AND ENCOURAGEMENT FROM LOCAL ELECTED LEADERS, THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, LAWA, LACCD, AND THE BUILDING TRADES

(Los Angeles, California – September 11, 2017) – Today, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) was pleased to join leadership from the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), the Los Angeles and Orange County Building Trades, and trade workers to honor the thirty women and men who are embarking on the 8-week HireLAX Apprenticeship Readiness Program (ARP).

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said of the program, “We’re harnessing the talent and hardworking spirit of Angelenos today — so they’ll be well-prepared to build for tomorrow. The HireLAX Apprenticeship Readiness Program is an incredible partnership that is helping us create a pipeline to good-paying, middle-class careers for every community in Los Angeles."

The HireLAX ARP prepares participants for entrance to union apprenticeships. Students will also receive comprehensive case management to help them develop soft skills and overcome barriers to employment such as lack of high school diploma or GED, transportation, childcare, homelessness, involvement in the criminal justice system, or lack of access to construction tools and personal protective equipment. Program graduates will be connected with union apprenticeship programs and contractors to begin their construction careers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

 “In these students, I see the future of our community, and the future of their families,” said LAWA Chief Executive Officer Deborah Flint. “With their own hands, HireLAX Pre-Apprenticeship Program graduates will be building our automatic people mover, our consolidated rental car facility, and will be an important part of our airport modernization. These students will be able to look at what they built with pride, and their families, friends, and colleagues will know that they helped something that will be with us for generations to come.”

At the kick-off event, the students also had the opportunity to hear from U.S Representative Maxine Waters, who has been a long-time advocate of helping local community members gain access to job training, to build skills and prepare themselves for careers.

“I am pleased and proud that so many partners have come together to create the HireLAX program, which will allow members of our local community to compete for the construction jobs that are available right now, in our own community,” said Congresswoman Waters. “Once you get involved in a job training program, you learn what is involved in a specific career, you come to an understanding of what you need to be successful, and you change your future. These students are here to change their future, and we are excited to support them through this process.”

The free 8-week HireLAX ARP program will be held at Southwest College. Program graduates will be connected with union apprenticeship programs and contractors to begin their construction careers at LAX, to support the $14-billion capital improvement program at LAX. Contractors performing work on LAWA projects are expected to exceed 30 percent local participation, with a workforce that reflects the diversity of Los Angeles.

            LACCD Board of Trustees President Sydney Kamlager-Dove said, “Our community college system is where so many dreams and new experiences begin. We are all about giving people the opportunity to be successful, and HireLAX is one of those opportunities, as the students learn a trade and build their future.”

            To ensure the best program possible, LACCD President Kamlager-Dove worked closely with LACCD Chancellor Francisco C. Rodriguez, Los Angeles Southwest College (LASC) Interim President Dr. Denise F. Noldon, and Los Angeles Trade Tech College (LATTC) President Larry Frank, to create a unique collaboration between LASC and LATTC. The program is being hosted at LASC campus, but the instructors come from LATTC.

The 30 members of the first HireLAX cohort were chosen from a group of more than 100 applicants who attended an orientation session in August. The class includes 8 women, 13 students who have been involved with the criminal justice program, and several who have experienced recent homelessness or housing insecurity.

Percy Evans, a HireLAX participant said, “I have found myself in a position where I now have to take care of my sister, who has medical issues, and I want to be able to have a career where I can support her and get her what she needs. I love working with my hands, and I’m always working on cars, so this program was perfect for me. As a Los Angeles Southwest College graduate, this is like a homecoming for me, and feels like coming back to school, and I can’t wait to get started.”

“Give me the opportunity, and I will show you that I can do this,” said Jabre Byers, one of the women chosen for the program. “Last year, I started working in construction, but experienced homelessness and lost my job. I know that HireLAX, with its training and support, will get me back on track toward my goal of working in the building trades.”

Because of the nature of the participants, case management services will be handled by the non-profit Flintridge Center, to help them develop soft skills and overcome barriers to employment such as lack of high school diploma or GED, transportation, childcare, homelessness, involvement in the criminal justice system or lack of access to construction tools and personal protective equipment.

The HireLAX program was developed within the framework of LAWA’s Project Labor Agreement (PLA), which is a partnership between LAWA, its contractors and the 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.

          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.