Harris County ARPA grants expanded Houston union apprenticeship facilities; unions report increased training and local hiring

Harris County-funded ARPA investments in a local apprenticeship initiative have paid for facility upgrades, new equipment and expanded recruitment, union training directors told the City of Houston Labor Committee on Sept. 18.

"It's been a little over 12,000,000 over 3 years," said Shelly Baker, partnerships and communications director for the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, describing the total ARPA investment that funded the Apprenticeship Advantage program. Baker said the program connects local residents to paid on-the-job training across 10 skilled trades, and that 62% of participants "come from moderate to high vulnerability households." She added that the program has enrolled 908 participants to date and that the average starting hourly rate for new entrants is $22.98, excluding benefits.

Multiple local trade apprenticeship programs described how the ARPA funds were used. Jean Bringmire, training director for the Houston-area joint apprenticeship and training committee for electrical contracting, said grant money modernized hands-on training labs, added interactive smart boards and updated conduit-bending equipment to reflect technologies used on jobs. "We've been able to update our hands on training lab to help apprentices, enhance the training they receive on the job," Bringmire said.

Mark Grady, business agent for IATSE Local 51, said his local used grant funds to purchase lighting, sound and video equipment so training can happen without relying on employers or rental gear; he said the local is finalizing paperwork with the U.S. Department of Labor to register a certified apprenticeship program. "As of yesterday, we met with the Department of Labor to final to work on finalizing our paperwork... we're missing just a few small documents and we will be ready to sign that document and move forward completely," Grady said.

Blanca Rios of IUEC Local 31 described a mobile welding facility with four welding stations, vent hoods and climate control that can be moved to communities so trainees need not travel long distances. Rios said the mobile unit can produce certified welders in about 10 weeks and that the equipment was provided at no cost to local members through the partnership funded in part by Harris County and other contributors.

Derek Perry, who helps run the Houston Area Plumbing Joint Apprenticeship Committee, said plumbing apprenticeships are five-year programs combining classroom and hands-on training and that graduates work across the city's hospitals, schools and pump stations. "When storms hit, we can't import skills overnight. So we need homegrown talent and people able to respond immediately," Perry said.

Shelly Baker told the committee that about 84% of the ARPA funding went directly to subawardees, and that much of the capital spending purchased durable training equipment and facility upgrades intended to serve future cohorts beyond the three-year grant term. Baker also said the program has exceeded initial enrollment goals.

Councilmembers pressed presenters on long-term sustainability and how the city could support apprenticeship utilization on municipal projects. Baker confirmed the program is in its third and final funded year under the county ARPA award: "So we're in our last year. We're in year 3." Councilmember Martinez and labor presenters urged the city to use procurement and contract terms to create work opportunities for registered apprentices and to consider labor standards clauses that include apprenticeship utilization.

Mark Grady and other union representatives also raised concerns about lowest-bid contracting on some city-owned venues and urged greater use of responsible-bid practices to ensure projects are completed safely and by trained workers.

There were no formal votes taken on the presentations. Presenters invited council members and staff to tour training facilities; HR and presenters said presentation slides and a video are posted on the committee web page and HTV.

Contact information and links were provided during the presentation for organizers and several locals; presenters asked council staff to encourage apprenticeship utilization in future city projects to expand employment pathways for Houston residents.