**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** WEST HILLS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT (WHCCD) IS SEEKING PARTNERSHIP WITH USDA NIFA TO SUPPORT AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM THAT WILL CLOSE OF A SEVERE LABOR MARKET GAP IN AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGIES AND FOOD MANUFACTURING WHILE IMPROVING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR CALIFORNIA'S SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. THE WESTSIDE WORKS APPRENTICESHIP INITIATIVE IS A CALL TO ACTION THAT JOINS INDUSTRY, COMMUNITY, AND EDUCATION PARTNERS DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS THAT DEVELOP A SKILLED WORKFORCE FROM WITHIN LOCAL COMMUNITIES. ENVISIONED AS A SERIES OF EARN-AS-YOU-LEARN 24 TO 48 MONTH TRAINING PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED OVER THE INITIAL 12 MONTH GRANT PERIOD, EMPLOYERS WILL RECRUIT ENTRY-LEVEL JOB CANDIDATES OR LOW-SKILLED INCUMBENT WORKERS AS APPRENTICES. WESTSIDE WORKS PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE SUPPORT FOR RECRUITING AND OUTREACH, EMPLOYER PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING, FACULTY CONTRIBUTIONS, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER INTEGRATION, AND WRAP-AROUND STUDENT SUPPORT. WHCCD FACULTY WILL SUPPORT APPRENTICESHIP STUDENTS THROUGH TUITION-FREE INSTRUCTION IN CONCERT WITH EMPLOYER-SPONSORED APPRENTICESHIPS. UPON PROGRAM COMPLETION, APPRENTICES WILL RECEIVE A GOVERNMENT-ISSUED APPRENTICESHIP COMPLETION CERTIFICATE (CREDENTIAL) AND A VALID JOURNEYPERSON CARD. EMPLOYER MATCH WILL INCLUDE FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING OF APPRENTICES WITH A WAGE SCALE THAT STARTS AT MORE THAN 50% OF THE JOURNEY-LEVEL WAGE FOR THE OCCUPATION AND INCREASES AS SKILLS ARE MASTERED OVER TIME.