News
Brooks Calls for City to Fund Job Training for Construction
District 6 City Councilmember Desley Brooks is sponsoring an ordinance that would set aside 5 percent of the city’s capital improvement project costs to support some of the city’s most successful construction job training programs.
The money would go to the Cypress Mandela Training Program and Citywide Job Centers, which are often utilized by contractors and building trades unions in projects they are backing.
The ordinance, co-sponsored by Councilmembers Larry Reid and Rebecca Kaplan, is scheduled to be heard at the council’s Community and Economic Development (CED) Committee meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 23 at Oakland City Hall, Hearing Room 1.
Construction is booming, there is a shortage of workers, but Oakland residents do not necessarily gain access to jobs in the industry, according to Brooks.
“We should be supporting programs like this, which will help grow and shape our community and allow people who have been here to continue to stay here, doing work that is a career, not just a job,” she said.
“At present, we use these programs, but there is no money attached,” said Brooks. “People talk about utilizing students from these programs, who train for months for no pay.”
The money to support the program would come from taxes and bonds that are paid by Oakland residents, Brooks said.
Cypress Mandela Training Center offers a 16-week pre-apprenticeship program for Bay Area men and women over 18 years old. Training is both hands-on and in the classroom and prepares students for skilled trades jobs that are relevant to today’s construction industry.
Another program is the West Oakland Job Resource Center (WOJRC), a place to learn about and prepare for careers in the building and construction trades.
Those who want to speak at the CED meeting in support of the ordinance may fill out a speaker card.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024
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California Black Media
Yahushua’s Law: Senate Advances Bill to Protect Students from Extreme Weather
In a significant move towards student safety, the California Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 1248, also known as Yahushua’s Law, on April 3. The bill is named in memory of Yahushua Robinson, a 12-year-old student from Lake Elsinore, who tragically died due to a heat-related illness during a physical education class in 2023. It is a pioneering effort to prevent similar incidents in the future.
By California Black Media
In a significant move towards student safety, the California Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 1248, also known as Yahushua’s Law, on April 3.
The bill is named in memory of Yahushua Robinson, a 12-year-old student from Lake Elsinore, who tragically died due to a heat-related illness during a physical education class in 2023. It is a pioneering effort to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Authored by Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) and co-authored by Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. (D-La Mesa), SB 1248 directs the California Department of Education to develop comprehensive guidelines for schools regarding student activity during all extreme weather conditions.
“No student should ever lose their life on campus to extreme weather when we can take steps to protect them by preparing statewide plans to minimize exposure to the most harmful elements of exposure,” Hurtado said after introducing SB 1248.
The bill stipulates that schools must implement safety measures which include monitoring weather forecasts, postponing or relocating outdoor activities during hazardous conditions, and ensuring students have proper hydration and access to shade. It also requires schools to establish clear communication plans to keep parents, teachers, and students informed about potential weather hazards.
Supporters of the bill include the Robinson family, advocate Christina Laster, Bold Enterprises LLC, California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute, Familias Empoderadas del Valle Central National Action Network, The Black Student Advocate, and the Ventura County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Thanking Hurtado for introducing this crucial legislation, Weber said, “The story of Yahushua Robinson last year was heartbreaking. We have protections for farm workers and other industries in the case of extreme weather, now climate change is forcing us to also extend similar protections to students at school.”
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