PHOTO RELEASE: High-Speed Rail Recognizes 13th Cohort to Complete Central Valley Training Center Pre-Apprenticeship Program

June 28, 2024

FRESNO, Calif. – The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) today recognized another 14 students for completing the Central Valley Training Center pre-apprenticeship program, bringing the total number of graduates to 206.

For students like Adrian Vasquez and Ponyboy Gonzales, the Central Valley Training Center provided a unique opportunity to better themselves while learning more about the construction trades in hopes to find a future career. Vasquez previously worked as a finisher for a tile company and now credits the Training Center for giving him the confidence to enter the trades and encourages others to do the same.

“My advice to future students is just have an open mind,” said Vasquez in an interview. “Go for it because you’re going to learn a lot of things here. The trades come here and talk with you. Hopefully, it opens your mind to continue this journey in being in a union.”

“My favorite part [of the program] was doing cement work. I got the chance to stamp the Aztec calendar. I’m Mexican. So that’s something big in my in my culture and it really meant something to me.” –Adrian Vasquez, Central Valley Training Center Graduate, who hopes to be a welder

“The advice I would have [for new students] is to be ready, be serious and make sure that you’re on time. The earlier, the better. This is a perfect opportunity for a career change and it’s a great program.”– Ponyboy Gonzales, Central Valley Training Center Graduate, who hopes to be a carpenter

The pre-apprenticeship training program targets veterans, at-risk young adults, and minority and low-income populations in the Central Valley. Over the course of 12 weeks, students are introduced to various construction trades from journeyman-level professionals.

As part of the program, students participate in a high-speed rail construction tour to learn more about the project. After graduation, Gonzales hopes to become a laborer or carpenter and hopes to work on building the nation’s first electrified high-speed rail system. “It was interesting to tour the project,” he said. “It’s going to be part of American history and is going to bring a lot of opportunities and jobs.”

Since the start of the project, the Authority has created more than 13,500 good paying construction jobs, a majority of which are going to residents of the Central Valley.

High-speed rail contractors, including Tutor-Perini/Zachry/Parsons and Dragados-Flatiron Joint Venture, along with various subcontractors have either committed or interviewed graduates of the program to join their workforce.

The Central Valley Training Center is a project of the Authority, in partnership with the City of Selma, Fresno Economic Development Corporation, the Fresno, Madera, Kings, Tulare Building Trades Council, and the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission.

To learn more about the Central Valley Training Center, visit www.cvtcprogram.com.

There are currently more than 25 active construction sites in California’s Central Valley, with the Authority having also fully environmentally cleared 463 miles of the high-speed rail program from the Bay Area to Los Angeles County.

For the latest on high-speed rail construction, visit www.buildhsr.com.

The following link contains recent video, animations, photography, press center resources and latest renderings: https://hsra.app.box.com/s/vyvjv9hckwl1dk603ju15u07fdfir2q8

These files are all available for free use, courtesy of the California High-Speed Rail Authority.