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Tradeswomen Inc. and apprentices tell ETP how apprenticeship changed lives; program pilots planned in Marin
Summary
Tradeswomen Inc.’s executive director and three apprentices described training, retention challenges and new local pilot cohorts to the Employment Training Panel, underscoring the agency’s role in expanding access for women and justice‑involved individuals.
Juanita Douglas, executive director of Tradeswomen Incorporated, told the Employment Training Panel that the organization has shifted from mentoring to running hands‑on cohorts and community pilots to get more women into the skilled trades.
Douglas said she secured a one‑year pilot at Golden Gate Village, a Marin County subsidized housing site, to run a 10‑week hands‑on training program for residents. She reported the program will begin Nov. 3, with 30 residents expressing interest and 25 slots available. "That program will start on November 3," Douglas said, describing a 10‑week hands‑on curriculum that will use unlivable units as training sites and then help graduates work on actual remodels.
Why it matters: Speakers framed the presentations as examples of how ETP funding and apprenticeship structures can support upward mobility for people who face barriers to work — including women, veterans and people returning from incarceration.
Apprentices’ testimony: The panel also heard first‑hand accounts from apprentices who described training as a career pathway. Sandra Molina, a laborers’ apprentice whose path included homelessness and addiction recovery, said the union and apprenticeship “helped me rebuild my life,” and described long hours and family supports provided by stable employment.
Andrea (Adriana) Clemons, who said she served eight years in prison before entering the trades, described apprenticeship as a life change and offered a personal summation: "It's not what you done. It's who you are today." Lamar Durst, a journeyman carpenter, described vocational training as a second chance and a source of technical skill, financial stability and pride — saying, "the apprenticeship doesn't just build carpenters. It rebuilds people."
Program totals and context: Staff presentations earlier in the meeting provided program context. Michelle Erwin, manager of the apprenticeship team, told the panel that ETP expects to train more than 22,000 trainees in the fiscal year and that the agency has served more than 98,000 apprentices under the current administration. Jessica Grimes noted that since July 2025 ETP closed 64 contracts and reported $16.7 million in contractor earnings tied to completed training.
Panel reaction and next steps: Panel members thanked the presenters and apprentices, and staff said they will continue stakeholder engagement — including attending graduation events and partnering with community organizations — to boost outreach and retention for underrepresented groups.
Ending: The presentations and testimony were offered as evidence to the panel of the real‑world impact of apprenticeship funding and the potential value of targeted pilots and outreach for women, veterans and justice‑involved residents.
