Los Angeles, CA — Bringing the total to $39.7 million invested in High Road Training Partnerships (HRTPs) since 2022, the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) today announced an additional $5.74 million in new awards through its HRTP Fund to expand six proven programs that connect underserved Angelenos to quality careers while helping employers meet critical workforce needs. With the majority of investments starting in July of 2025, DEO has invested in 27 HRTPs, supporting more than 2,500 workers enrolled in training, over 1,400 graduates, and more than 630 workers hired into related employment to date, while fostering long-term systems change across priority industries.

With new investments from Los Angeles County’s Care First Community Investment (CFCI) initiative and the Safe, Clean Water Program funded by the 2018 voter-approved Measure W ballot initiative, DEO launched a second cycle of funding for the HTRP Fund and awarded past and current HRTP partners to refine, strengthen, and scale proven training models that respond to employer demand and create pathways to quality jobs. Following a competitive application process, DEO selected six partnerships for continued investment. The program is administered in partnership with Dalberg.

“Now more than ever, the County must continue to support foundational training programs that equip some of our most vulnerable Angelenos with workforce opportunities, strengthen their careers and ensure employers and businesses can meet critical workforce needs,” said Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “High Road Training Partnership are an investment in our workforce, local economy and communities. They expand access to opportunity and help build pathways to generational wealth while delivering on the County’s commitment to create sustainable pathways to economic mobility for Los Angeles County residents.”

“For our economy and businesses to thrive, we must meet the full and diverse needs of workers. The County Department of Economic Opportunity’s continued investment in High Road Training Partnerships demonstrates how we can achieve this by preparing residents for careers in growing industries while providing the wraparound services and stipends they need to access childcare, transportation, and other essential support every working family needs to succeed. This is a win-win for both businesses and their employees. I’m also especially proud that DEO is investing in high-growth sectors, including healthcare, climate careers, and trained in AI tools so workers aren’t left behind,” said Second District Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.

“High Road Training Partnerships represent the future of workforce development because they are built by employers, workers, labor, educators, and community organizations working together to create real pathways into quality careers,” said Kelly LoBianco, Director of DEO. “This $5.74 million investment continues the remarkable progress we’ve made over the last several years and reflects our continued commitment to ensuring that all Angelenos—particularly those who have faced systemic barriers to employment—have access to family-sustaining careers while helping employers develop the skilled workforce they need. Together, these partnerships are creating opportunity today while transforming workforce systems for the future.”

“Through the Safe, Clean Water Program and the Apprenticeship Readiness Fund, we’re investing in local talent and creating pathways to family-sustaining careers in the skilled trades and helping residents from historically underserved communities build the skills needed to meet the workforce demands of tomorrow,” said Mark Pestrella, Director of Public Works. “That’s what equity looks like in action. We’re not just assuring all County residents have access to safe, clean, and reliable water resources; we’re building opportunity, strengthening communities, and ensuring the benefits of public investment are shared by the people who call Los Angeles County home.”

Collectively, the six HRTP Fund programs will serve 466 participants across all five Los Angeles County Supervisorial Districts in industries, including construction and infrastructure, healthcare, hospitality, aerospace and advanced manufacturing, animation and digital media, and the care economy. All partners are paired with DEO’s America’s Job Center of California (AJCC) to optimize available support and resources for HRTP and both participant and employer success.

The selected HRTP Extension Fund awardees are: 

“We know that Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship training programs have the power to transform lives while strengthening our local and regional economy. We are committed to advancing economic opportunity by creating pathways to good union careers for people in underserved communities across Los Angeles County, including low-income workers, English language learners, foster youth, opportunity youth, LGBTQ+ individuals, people who are justice-involved, and individuals experiencing homelessness. Thanks to this $1.07 million award from the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity, we can expand these proven pathways to meet the growing demand for a skilled hospitality workforce while partnering to better measure and demonstrate the hospitality industry’s economic impact on our regional economy.”

Ben Garcia, Executive Director, Apprenticeship Readiness Fund

“The Apprenticeship Readiness Fund and its partnering training programs are proud to collaborate with DEO and prepare the next generation of skilled building trades workers who will deliver the clean water infrastructure projects Los Angeles communities depend on.”

Aaron Valencia, CEO and Founder, Lost Angels Career Center

“Lost Angels Career Center is thrilled to partner with DEO once again to expand upon our High Roads Training Partnership (HRTP). LACC’s flagship workforce development initiative, The Work Program, is a paid, 12-week vocational training serving opportunity youth ages 18-24 with the technical skills, professional competencies, and wraparound support necessary to obtain and retain living-wage employment in high-growth skilled trade industries. Participants receive hands-on training in advanced manufacturing, CNC machining, automotive restoration, fabrication, paint, and electrical skills aligned with Antelope Valley’s aerospace and advanced manufacturing economy. With this additional investment from DEO, Lost Angels Career Center will continue to advance access to high-growth industries for justice-involved individuals, strengthen employer confidence in nontraditional talent pipelines, and clearly demonstrate that worker-centered, industry-informed workforce development models can create sustainable economic mobility for historically underserved populations.”

Aquilina Soriano-Versoza, Executive Director, Pilipino Workers Center

“We are proud to continue our partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity to transform the home care industry by investing in the workers who sustain it every day. Through the Caring Workforce Training Program, we are removing barriers to quality employment by combining industry-driven training, worker rights education, and pathways to worker ownership. Together with our employer, labor, healthcare, and community partners, we are building a stronger care workforce where caregivers have access to living-wage careers, leadership opportunities, and the ability to shape the future of the care economy. This investment is about more than training—it is about creating a worker-centered ecosystem that advances equity, strengthens the home care industry, and demonstrates that quality jobs lead to quality care.”

Maria Kim, President & CEO, Redefine Alliance

“This continued investment builds on the progress we’ve made through the first High Road Training Partnership award and reflects what’s possible through strong cross-sector partnerships. We’re grateful to the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity for its leadership and continued investment, and to our employment social enterprise partners, behavioral health employers, and training providers for bringing this work to life. With their support, we create the biggest transformation of all: peers helping peers in the most human-centered of ways—creating a growing workforce in behavioral health, while healing neighbors, strengthening families, and building economic mobility in the process.”

Elisabeth White and Jimmy Lifton, Worldwide Starship Foundation

“Los Angeles cannot remain the creative capital of the world on history alone. It has to build the workforce pipeline for the next era of animation. Through DEO’s support, Rain Man Initiative 2.0 will give neurodivergent and disabled artists access to professional animation training, Ethical AI literacy, paid work experience, and employer-validated pathways into the creative economy. This work is not only about access. It is about recognizing different minds as an industry asset and keeping human creativity at the center of technological change.”