What We Do
Founded in 2018, CTWI works to ensure the long-term sustainability of the union construction industry by bridging the gap between local job seekers, employers and policymakers. We are a national non-profit organization with focused hubs in the DC-Baltimore Metro region and the larger San Francisco East Bay area.
We coordinate and lead our region’s efforts to strengthen construction career pathways and workforce policies.
Using strategic partnerships, we identify, fund, develop, and implement a collaborative structure to increase access to union construction trades.
Our Mission
We advance economic justice by strengthening pathways into family-sustaining union construction careers for underrepresented community members through developing sustainable partnerships, programs and policy.
Our Impact
Since our inception, we have supported the advancement of economic and social justice for those in underrepresented communities, including women, the youth, formerly incarcerated individuals, those from low-income backgrounds, and communities of color. This is achieved by building and leading national partnerships, programs, and policies that create pathways to union construction careers.
$8,000,000
…in funds secured for high-quality, pre-apprenticeship programs to educate, recruit, and prepare women, formerly incarcerated individuals, and communities of color for union trade careers.
$1,600,000
…allocated to support over 150 working families with stipends to offset the cost of childcare. Families will be granted between $5,000 to $10,000 while they complete their pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship training.
15+
Workforce Development Programs
…Funded, strengthened and evaluated to expand regional pathways into the trades.
20+
Co-lead Industry Stakeholders
…in a Bay Area-wide coalition of construction unions, employers, agencies, municipalities, community partners and job seekers to create high-road careers in the emerging residential decarbonization industry for low-income communities of color.
Our Awards
We are proud to have been recognized with multiple awards from partners and leaders in the California East Bay region for our high-quality and innovative approaches to strengthening the workforce pipeline into organized labor.
2019 Friend of Adult Education Award for our innovative test prep programs
2020 Business Partner of the Year Award
2023 Napa-Solano Labor Council’s Labor Community Partner Award
Hear From Our Community Partners
The impact of what we do is far-reaching and inspires us to continue working to uplift communities through union construction careers. Our partnerships are fundamental to ensuring equitable access to high-road careers for all of our community members. Learn more about our partnerships.
“We have worked with CTWI on a wide range of projects, some of them include improving IBEW 595’s outreach and recruitment policies, strengthening relationships with MC3 pre-apprenticeship programs through their advisory committee, advocating for labor standards in the publicly funded decarbonization projects and developing minority contractor workshops to create more high-road industry partners. Their knowledge and expertise span across all stakeholders and they truly fill the gap in areas within our industry that have not been addressed.”
“We are excited that CTWI is leading our region’s efforts on the Childcare Stipends Program for Single Parents and believe that this innovative initiative will help us increase female participation in the trades.”
“CTWI is a model organization that has shown commitment to building training programs in high schools across the East Bay Area that will prepare future generations for union construction careers.”
“CTWI has been an impactful partner to our students in our Contra Costa MC3 Pre-Apprenticeship Jail Programs. They have consistently provided student support, data tracking, and professional development to our staff. Introducing union construction careers to justice-impacted individuals provides them with the tools they need to become successful upon release.”
“CTWI’s rigorous programs, strong partnership with trades, and direct support to job seekers have helped strengthen our pipeline. One year, almost half of our new apprentices came from their test prep classes!”
“Having a unified voice when advocating for workers’ rights is critical to advancing the labor movement. CTWI has been a great partner, working with us, towards establishing a consensus among construction unions on policy issues including Housing, Transportation, Renewable Energy, Transit-Oriented Development, Green Building, and Just Transition.”
“CTWI’s expertise in building effective partnerships and workforce development programs helped us negotiate our first Project Labor Agreement with the City of Dublin, increasing opportunities for our local, working people.”
Building and Construction Trades Council Partners
We are the non-profit workforce development partner for the Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa-Solano and Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Councils. We collaborate to strategically build worker power through coalition-building, workforce development programs and labor policies that meet the needs of the local community.
Get Involved With Us
Love our mission and want to do more?
By donating, you’re supporting our efforts to connect underrepresented community members to family-sustaining union construction careers.