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San Rafael rolls out green transportation workforce pilot with Canal Alliance and Lime Foundation
Summary
The city detailed a six-week green transportation cohort funded through California Jobs First, set to run May 20–June 27 with partners Canal Alliance and the Lime Foundation; staff emphasized job placement for local residents as the primary success metric.
San Rafael staff described a new green transportation careers pilot designed to train local residents for auto and green-vehicle maintenance jobs and related operational roles.
"We received funding through California Jobs First and scored the highest in the North Bay," Cory Boff, the city’s sustainability program manager, told the committee, describing partner roles for Canal Alliance and the Lime Foundation. Boff said the first cohort begins May 20 and runs six weeks through June 27, with a graduation and hiring fair scheduled for July 1.
The program targets adults 18 and older and aims to pair basic auto‑mechanic training with new technology skills needed for electric and other green vehicles. Staff emphasized that this pilot is intended as a learning cohort: it will collect pre‑ and post‑survey data, provide stipends for participants, and test whether coursework translates into local hires.
Council members asked about performance metrics; staff identified placement in local green auto careers as the primary indicator of success and said additional signals could include retention, wages and demonstrated trainee pathways into local dealerships and repair shops. Selection outreach will be managed by partners Canal Alliance and the Lime Foundation, and classes will be held in person and bilingual where needed.
Why it matters: Local employers reported difficulty hiring qualified mechanics, and staff said the project responds to a documented demand for technicians with updated skills for electric vehicles and charger installation. Staff described this as an initial cohort that will inform whether the city pursues repeated or scaled cohorts and additional funding.
Next steps: Staff will monitor placements and report results from the initial cohort after the July hiring fair; subsequent iterations and any additional funding requests will depend on measured placement outcomes and partner feedback.
