This Academy helps Asian immigrants find training and jobs, help that is desperately needed in this economy. Many of their students had very good jobs in their homeland, but for various reasons, need completely new careers here. - - Donna Poisl
By Lian Qiu
Wind Chang was a successful businessman in China, but all that changed when he immigrated to the U.S. two years ago. With limited English skills, Chang struggled to find work, and when he eventually did, he was laid off because of the economic downturn.
Chang’s luck finally changed when he discovered CityBuild Academy (CBA), a structured pre-apprenticeship program designed to prepare attendees for employment in a variety of skilled trades.
CityBuild provides recruiting, on-the-job training and placement services to job seekers, employers and contractors working in San Francisco’s construction industry.
There have been 8 CBA cycles, each roughly 3 months long since the program’s inception. Approximately 400 students have graduated from CBA, with a job placement rate is as high as 95%. CityBuild was created in 2004, when San Francisco County Transportation Authority appropriated $700,000 towards an 18-month pilot initiative, spearheaded by Commissioner Sophie Maxwell and Mayer Gavin Newsom.
Chang says CBA simulated a realistic workplace environment and helped him to understand the construction industry.
Chang was hired to a union job immediately after he graduated from CBA. He now works as a glazer with a decent starting wage, $15.72 per hour. He is just one of the many Asian immigrants that have benefited from the program.
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