Employment Training Panel approves dozens of training contracts in December session; several items pulled for discussion

The Employment Training Panel approved a broad consent calendar and individually reviewed and approved many employer training contracts at its December panel meeting, advancing roughly two dozen projects that together total millions in ETP funding.

The panel approved single‑employer, multiple‑employer and agricultural initiative proposals from contractors including Associated Builders and Contractors (Central California Chapter), California Institute of Arts and Technology, East County Economic Development Council, Clorox Manufacturing, Pacific Gas & Electric, GKN Aerospace, Simpson Strong‑Tie, Relativity Space, Anduril Industries and many others. Several items were pulled from consent for additional questions about wage progression, administrative capacity or program scale. Vino Farms’ denial remained contested: the panel delegated a hearing on the second‑level appeal to a subcommittee.

Why this matters: The actions authorize state training funds that support employers’ upskilling and hiring in manufacturing, construction, health care, agriculture and other priority industries. A set of pulled proposals and public comments show the panel is scrutinizing wage floors, administrative capacity for rapid scale‑ups and compliance with labor expectations as it approves grants.

What the panel did and notable discussion - Consent calendar: The panel approved the remainder of the consent calendar after members pulled tabs 5, 7, 9, 12 and 16 for discussion (these were heard separately). Staff reported 18 items originally on consent and noted delegation orders and other consent‑level approvals. - Associated Builders & Contractors (Central California Chapter) — Tab 5: Approved for $579,399 to train 387 workers in Kern and Fresno counties. Panel members pressed the contractor on trainee wage levels and requested a post‑retention wage of $20/hour; the motion passed with that expectation after contractor representatives said $20/hour was a reasonable floor for outcomes in the Central Valley context. - California Institute of Arts and Technology — Tab 7: First‑time contractor; rightsized from initial request and reduced per‑trainee hours. Panel approved $479,200 after the applicant said it would reduce average hours and focus on a single certification per trainee to lower cost per trainee. - East County Economic Development Council — Tab 9: Approved for $643,500 for a multiple‑employer contract in San Diego/Imperial counties; panel members expressed concern about a nearly sixfold increase from the organization’s previous award and pressed the applicant on administrative bench strength and past performance; the motion passed. - Clorox Manufacturing (Tab 20) and PG&E (Tab 21): Both first‑time applicants were approved (Clorox asked to backdate a start date to Oct. 25, 2024; PG&E requested the same). Panel noted relatively high post‑retention wages and asked clarifying questions on turnover. - GKN Aerospace (critical proposal, Tab 25): Approved for $785,680. Panel members noted anticipated hiring growth and wage progression for trainees. - Anduril Industries (critical proposal, Tab 46): Approved for $831,040 with panel discussion confirming hiring numbers. - Nonconstruction apprenticeship / initiative pilots: The panel approved a number of non‑construction apprenticeship and initiative proposals (examples: community health worker programs, hospitality and maritime technician pilots) after staff confirmed prior rightsizing and the need for employer engagement. - Pulled and tabled items: One private post‑secondary for‑profit vocational school application (Oxnard College / for‑profit vocational applicant, Tab 39 in the transcript) was tabled for staff follow‑up and further clarification after panel members requested clearer documentation, wage/fee information and written responses to outstanding questions. - Appeals: The panel received a second‑level appeal from Vino Farms after an April denial. The panel voted to delegate authority for a hearing on the appeal to a subcommittee of one or more panel members (22 CCR 4450(2) authority).

Quotes - “I wanna see wage progression when you come back next year,” said a panel member during discussion with Associated Builders and Contractors. - “We reduced the total amount of hours per trainee from 200 to 100 to really focus on a stepping‑stone approach,” said Kirsten (California Institute of Arts and Technology), describing the revised first‑time contractor application.

Votes at a glance (selected approvals mentioned in discussion) - Associated Builders and Contractors, Central California Chapter — $579,399 — approved - California Institute of Arts and Technology — $479,200 — approved - East County Economic Development Council — $643,500 — approved - Clorox Manufacturing Company (and affiliates) — $540,960 — approved (requested Oct. 25, 2024 start date) - Pacific Gas & Electric Company — $500,976 — approved (requested Oct. 25, 2024 start date) - GKN Aerospace (critical) — $785,680 — approved - Simpson Strong‑Tie Company — $596,960 — approved - TTM Technologies North America — $571,200 — approved - Vortex Industries LLC — $501,760 — approved - Nibby Bros Associates — $444,528 — approved - Relativity Space — $596,960 — approved (requested Dec. 31, 2024 start date) - Rivera / Enterprise U — $848,934 — approved (requested Oct. 28, 2024 start date) - And numerous other single‑employer, multiple‑employer and agricultural initiative approvals recorded during the meeting; items explicitly pulled from consent were discussed and then approved unless noted otherwise.

What’s next: Staff will document the panel’s votes, follow up on the pulled items flagged for clarifications (administrative capacity, wage progression evidence and employer commitments), and schedule the delegated hearing for the Vino Farms appeal. The panel asked several first‑time contractors and repeat applicants to return with clearer post‑retention wage progression evidence at their next appearance.

Sources: Employment Training Panel meeting transcript (panel motions, roll calls, staff reports, public comments).