News release
Bringing the total to $39.7 million invested in High Road Training Partnerships since 2022, the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity has announced an additional $5.74 million in new awards through its HRTP Fund to expand six programs that connect underserved Angelenos to quality careers while helping employers meet critical workforce needs.
With the majority of investments starting in July of 2025, DEO has invested in 27 HRTPs, supporting more than 2,500 workers enrolled in training, over 1,400 graduates, and more than 630 workers hired into related employment to date, while fostering long-term systems change across priority industries, according to a news release from the DEO.
With new investments from Los Angeles County’s Care First Community Investment initiative and the Safe, Clean Water Program funded by the 2018 voter-approved Measure W ballot initiative, DEO launched a second cycle of funding for the HTRP Fund and awarded past and current HRTP partners to refine, strengthen, and scale proven training models that respond to employer demand and create pathways to quality jobs, the release said.
Following a competitive application process, DEO selected six partnerships for continued investment. The program is administered in partnership with Dalberg.
“Now more than ever, the county must continue to support foundational training programs that equip some of our most vulnerable Angelenos with workforce opportunities, strengthen their careers and ensure employers and businesses can meet critical workforce needs,” county Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis said in the release. “High Road Training Partnership are an investment in our workforce, local economy and communities. They expand access to opportunity and help build pathways to generational wealth while delivering on the county’s commitment to create sustainable pathways to economic mobility for Los Angeles County residents.”
“High Road Training Partnerships represent the future of workforce development because they are built by employers, workers, labor, educators, and community organizations working together to create real pathways into quality careers,” Kelly LoBianco, director of DEO, said in the release. “This $5.75 million investment continues the remarkable progress we’ve made over the last several years and reflects our continued commitment to ensuring that all Angelenos — particularly those who have faced systemic barriers to employment — have access to family-sustaining careers while helping employers develop the skilled workforce they need. Together, these partnerships are creating opportunity today while transforming workforce systems for the future.”
Collectively, the six HRTP Fund programs will serve 466 participants across all five Los Angeles County Supervisorial Districts in industries, including construction and infrastructure, health care, hospitality, aerospace and advanced manufacturing, animation and digital media, and the care economy, the release said.
All partners are paired with DEO’s America’s Job Center of California to optimize available support and resources for HRTP and both participant and employer success.
The selected HRTP Extension Fund awardees are:
• Hospitality Training Academy – Culinary Pathways: A High Road to Opportunity HRTP Program for culinary careers.
• Los Angeles Building & Construction Trades Council Apprenticeship Readiness Fund – Los Angeles Building & Construction Trades Council Apprenticeship Readiness HRTP Program for construction careers on Safe, Clean Water stormwater capture infrastructure projects.
• Lost Angels Career Center – The Work Program for Justice-Involved Individuals and Opportunity Youth for careers in aerospace and advanced manufacturing.
• Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California – Caring Workforce Training Program for careers in home health care.
• Redefine Alliance – Bridge to Behavioral Health: Career Pathways for careers in health care and social assistance.
• Worldwide Starship Foundation – Rain Man Initiative 2.0: Ethical AI and Animation Workforce Pipeline for careers in the creative economy.
The HRTP Fund invited existing HRTP Fund awardees to build upon their success by incorporating lessons learned, strengthening industry partnerships, and expanding services to reach additional participants while continuing to advance systems change, including improving job quality and filling skills gaps within their industries of focus. Awards were made across four targeted funding priorities, including general workforce training, employment pathways for justice-involved individuals, ethical artificial intelligence training, and preparation for stormwater capture construction and infrastructure careers.
