LA County DEO Awards $17.8 Million to 19 High Road Training Partnerships 

LA County DEO Awards $17.8 Million to 19 High Road Training Partnerships 

New Worker-Centered, Industry-Informed Training Programs to Offer Economic Mobility to 1,800+ Angelenos and Supply Skilled Talent to Major Industries  

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell and partners Dalberg LLC and UCLA Labor Center proudly announced the launch of the County’s $17.8 million High Road Training Partnership (HRTP) Fund, issuing grants to 19 awardees that will train over 1,800 workers and create pathways to quality jobs in high-growth sectors across LA County. The announcement was held at El Camino College, kicking off a community of practice with grantees representing workers and labor, employers and industry, community-based organizations, and educational institutions and both launching and expanding innovative and systems change-focused workforce development models. 

The HRTP Fund leverages dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the County’s Care First Community Investment (CFCI) and is part of DEO’s broader $34 million commitment to expanding HRTPs locally based on the California Workforce Development Board’s high-road workforce development framework. These investments build on DEO’s HRTPs in Aerospace, Healthcare, Creative Economy, and Construction, and many will meet the industry and labor force needs from economic disruptions like the pandemic and January windstorms and wildfires.  

“I am proud to see this inaugural group of 19 organizations that will be working with the County to improve access to career pathways in industries where residents can earn family sustaining wages - by providing trainings and employer partnerships that lead to life-long careers and economic stability for Angelenos, shared Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, representing the Second District. “Through this initiative we are putting our commitment to an equitable LA County in action.” 

“Today, we are celebrating the bold partnerships that will be creating real, equitable change in our local economy,” said Kelly LoBianco, Director of DEO. “These HRTP grantees are uniting workers, employers, educators, and communities to close opportunity gaps and connect Angelenos to careers in high growth sectors.” 

“What started as an innovative approach to workforce development, built on an effective collaboration between employers, community partners, educators and centered around the workers continues to prove its worth.  This incredible investment into the expansion of economic mobility for hard working Angelenos builds upon the nearly decade long commitment to elevate all Californians into family sustaining careers.  We applaud the Department of Economic Opportunity for bringing additional stability and opportunity to the people of Los Angeles,” said Kaina Pereira, Executive Director of the California Workforce Development Board. 

Selected through a competitive application process, grantees demonstrated strong alignment with the County’s vision for high road economic development centered on job quality, climate resilience, and equity. These training programs will target LA County’s most vulnerable residents, including those impacted by COVID-19, justice-involved individuals, low-wage workers, opportunity youth, and others who face systemic barriers to employment. 

Each grantee will receive between $500,000 and $1 million to implement or expand their worker-informed, employer-aligned training models. Participants will also have access to the Worker Equity Fund offering $1,500 in flexible cash assistance for childcare, housing costs, or other needs that support program retention and job placement support. 

Over the coming months, grantees will receive tailored technical assistance from the UCLA Labor Center to refine training designs and launch programs this fall. These programs are expected to serve participants from all five Supervisorial Districts and embed best practices in equity, trauma-informed care, and industry alignment. 

The HRTP Fund is implemented in partnership with Dalberg LLC and the UCLA Labor Center, contributing to the State’s $350 Million investment to date across 120 California HRTPs and Governor’s goals of 500,000 apprentices by 2029 and builds on the County’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable economic growth. 

“We at Dalberg are thrilled to see this important work coming to fruition. In our work in Los Angeles County with DEO and around the state, through the CA Jobs First Initiative, we’ve seen the great progress that can be made when workers, employers and training providers come together to advance their common interest. With our partners at the UCLA Labor Center and at HelpGood, we’re confident that DEO’s HRTP Fund will open pathways to prosperity for workers and their families across LA County – and hopeful that this innovative program will become a model for others" said Joe Dougherty, Partner at Dalberg. 

“This project is a pivotal opportunity for the County to lead in building a high road training initiative that delivers equity and quality jobs for our communities and a blueprint for innovative workforce development approaches for the state and the nation,” said Saba Waheed, Research Director at the UCLA Labor Center. 

HRTP Grantees 

• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) 
• Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians (FTBMI) 
• The Get Focused Stay Focused Nonprofit 
• GRID Alternatives  
• Hospitality Training Academy (HTA) 
• Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) 
• Los Angeles Urban League 
• LA/OC Building & Construction Trades Council Apprenticeship Readiness Fund
• Loyola Marymount University  
• New Earth 
• Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California 
• Prestige Career College 
• Propel America 
• REDF 
• Rio Hondo College  
• The SoLa Foundation 
• Western States Council of SMART 
• White Hall Arts Academy Foundation 
• Worldwide Starship Foundation 

“The Caring Workforce Training Program of Pilipino Workers Center was an incredible opportunity. It gave me the skills, industry-recognized certifications, confidence, and support to grow in a profession I care deeply about. The program centered the needs of caregivers not just through training, but by helping us think about long-term stability, leadership, and even ownership. I now feel more prepared not only to care for others, but also to take charge of my own career path. I am truly thankful to the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity for supporting programs like this that invest in both caregivers and the individuals and families who rely on our care,” said Nelissa Guong, Caring Workforce Training Program, Pilipino Workers Center, Cohort 2. 

Programs will launch as early as August 2025 and run through June 2026. To learn more about DEO’s HRTP programs and launch dates, visit: opportunity.lacounty.gov/hrtp/. 

The full press event and announcement can be viewed HERE.