Richmond Workforce Development Board Meeting
Minutes – September 14, 2023
Chairperson Xavier Abrams called the Richmond Workforce Development Board meeting (RWDB) to order on Thursday, September 14, 2023, at 11:47 am.
Call to Order and Roll Call/Introductions
Xavier Abrams, Nannette Beacham, Fernando Campos, Evan Decker, Dr. Carol Dorham-Kelly, Giovanni Flores, Richard Johnson, Chuck Leonard, Jason Lindsey, Uche Uwahemu, Jillian de la Torres (Healthy Contra Costa), Tamara Walker, Cher Lor-Arce, Gilbert Pete, Emmanuel Njome, Bouakhay Phongboupha, Itza Gonzalez, Hellen Zhao Chen, Maria Torres.
Chairperson Abrams requested a motion to have the minutes from May 11, 2023, and July 13, 2023, approved. Board member Lindsey motioned approval and Richard Johnson seconded it. Giovanni Flores abstains, and the motion carries.
Director’s Report – Tamara Walker
- Introduction to new Employment and Training staff – Gilbert Pete, Project Coordinator - New adult program Case Manager starting on 9/18/23
- Received City of Richmond, Children, and Youth Fund for $150,000 supporting health pathways for youth
- The East Bay Region received $500,000 from the State for Prison to Employment:
o Will receive $81,000 to serve 10 participants.
o partnering with local groups working in the City of Richmond - Hosting a job fair at the Richmond Auditorium on 10/25/23 - Hosting a Trades Resource Fair and Plumbers I Boot Camp for East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) on 9/15/23 at 9AM -12PM
- Californians for All Youth (CAFAY):
o Completed the first Beautify Richmond Cohort,
o Next cohort to start in late October/early November
o We have funded three projects thus far with CAFAY:
Beautify Richmond with Rubicon
RPAL and the Police Explorers
Youth Financial Literacy for All Program with Youth Finance Institute of America Two more Community-Based Organizations projects pending:
Roots of Success, Environmental Literacy and Job Training Youth Pre- Apprenticeship
The Richmond Community Foundation, Equity for Black Women and Girls - STEP, Department of Labor grant:
o We will be applying to serve young people who have IEPs, and disabilities o $750,000, will serve 75 participants
o The program will be funded for three years instead of one year o Will be able to pay the participants directly and offer work for up to 300 hours - 2025-28 Local Plan: we just finished our two-year modification, next year we start working on the new 2025-2028 Local Plan.
Richmond Workforce Development Board Meeting
Minutes – September 14, 2023
o Looking into the grant writers, their proposal is for $40,000, which is high. We are going to be negotiating that or finding another vendor.
- The Richmond City Council came up with goals and objectives for Employment and Training:
o Support the implementation of Maritime Academy connected to Kennedy High School.
Sal Vaca partnered with one of the businesses in Richmond to develop this Maritime Apprenticeship program. As it stands right now, we are not at the table. Not familiar with the project, and don’t know how to move forward since it hasn’t been brought up to E&T yet.
o The second one is to increase job training for high school juniors and seniors who are not college ready. WCCUSD identified that less than 40% of the students are graduating with the A through G requirements. Young people of color are less than 20%. The City Council is very frustrated with hearing these numbers and has asked us to step in and work with those young people who are not graduating with the A through G requirements and come up with a program to address this population so that when they graduate either we can assist helping them through the A through G requirements or what happens when they graduate.
Board member Leonard commented that there are programs already in place. We have construction apprenticeships, and 24 different affiliates of crafts, some of them with entry requirements, tests, and interviews. There is a non-profit set up called Construction Trades Workforce Initiative, set up by Contra Costa, Alameda, North Bay, Solano, and Napa County building trades. Two-to-three times a year they do classes to help youngsters brush up on their math skills so they can pass some of these entrance exams for the industries that have these exams. There are other trades/crafts where no exams are required, anyone can start and will be taught the trade over a four-year period.
Board Chair, Xavier Abrams, and board member Uche Uwahemu mentioned that this is the district’s responsibility and that we can help support it, but it should be left to the school district. Board member Uwahemu asked if it’s possible to meet with Claudia Jimenez City Council member to talk about this issue. Council member Willis is the person pushing this issue.
Board member Evan Decker added that Awareness is the key, the awareness of the programs and the trajectories. Communication with the parents, what the opportunities are, what those salaries are, and where to apply for the programs.
Contra Costa high schools have career fairs, they might happen in October and November. Being able to communicate to students where these career fairs are will help.
o Expand vocational training programs, create new opportunities for workforce development in Richmond and apprenticeships, collaborate with local businesses to employ students, and continue to support Youthworks to create pathways to high-paying careers. We are working with CTWI, we received $729K for them, to expand our pathways, we received money from EPA to do some more Brownfield work, and in conversation with CTWI and the adult school to create their math training program.
Richmond Workforce Development Board Meeting
Minutes – September 14, 2023
Policy Review – Tamara Walker
The following policies were presented by Jeff Shoji in the past but were not approved.
i. Dislocated Worker Locally Defined Eligibility Criteria The motion to adopt the policy review was made by Richard Johnson and seconded by Evan Decker, the motion carries.
ii. WIOA Work Experience Policy
For Adults and Youth – The motion to approve the policy was made by board member Uche Uwahemu and seconded by board member DC Dorham-Kelly, the motion carries. iii. Local Board Determination Policy
Allow us to use training funds. The motion was made by board member DC Dorham- Kelly and seconded by board member Richard Johnson, the motion carries.
Bylaws Ad hoc Committee Recommendations – Uche Uwahemu and D.C. Dorham-Kelly A brief discussion ensued about the change/update recommendations by board members Uche Uwahemu and D.C. Dorham-Kelly.
A motion was made to accept all recommendations as listed. Board member Chuck Leonard made the motion and Richard Johnson seconded the motion, the motion carries.
The meeting adjourned at 1:03pm