LOS ANGELES, Nov. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California
Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced the company will provide a
$50,000 grant to the Los Angeles Urban League (LAUL) to support the
organization's virtual Construction Career Academy (CCA)
program. SoCalGas also plans to hire up to 100 qualified graduates
of the program who progress through the company's interview
process. The Construction Career Academy is now accepting
applicants to the no-cost, 10-week program on a rolling basis and
encourages those interested in construction, mechanical, technician
and engineering careers to apply.
"With many folks struggling to find work, now more than ever,
the Construction Career Academy serves as a pathway to limitless
opportunities in many different industries," said Wallace Rawls, Director of Gas System Integrity
& Programs at SoCalGas, and LAUL Board Member. "SoCalGas is
proud to support the LA Urban League's Construction Career Academy.
We have been working with LAUL to develop pipelines for employment
for graduates at SoCalGas and elsewhere, and we expect to hire some
of the hardworking men and women who complete the program."
"The Los Angeles Urban League thanks SoCalGas for the generous
grant given to our Construction Career Academy. Our partnership
with SoCalGas continues to reap benefits for the Construction
Career Academy students," said Michael
Lawson, President, and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League.
"As we maintain our commitment to helping our constituents in
Los Angeles' underserved
communities, we embrace and appreciate partners such as
SoCalGas."
"A quality career can change a life," said 8th District
Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson. "The Los Angeles Urban
League has long-served Los Angeles
neighborhoods by educating and empowering communities of color
through employment services. I remain committed to helping South LA
residents access employment through local hire programs and I
am pleased that SoCalGas is supplementing these efforts by
investing in the Construction Career Academy, teaching Angelenos
useful skills they can use for a lifetime."
CCA provides a free 10-week training aimed at increasing
minority workers' access to apprenticeship programs and career
opportunities in construction, mechanical, technical and/or
engineering. The program prepares job seekers to complete and pass
industry exams and go on to obtain apprenticeships and well-paying
careers in a variety of industries including utilities,
transportation, logistics, energy and building trades.
In addition to job sourcing and job placement, CCA also offers
supportive services, job readiness skills and ongoing mentorship to
support graduates in finding high-demand, well-paying jobs. Ninety
percent of CCA graduates, who had little or no prior experience in
construction or utility related positions, passed industry exams
and found industry employment.
SoCalGas has been a longtime partner of the Los Angeles Urban
League and the Construction Career Academy.
About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is
the largest gas distribution
utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers
affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable gas service
to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of
Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of
residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying
clothes or other uses. Gas delivered through the company's
pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to
Californians— about 45 percent of electric power
generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.
SoCalGas' vision is to be the cleanest gas utility
in North America, delivering affordable and increasingly
renewable energy to its customers. In support of that vision,
SoCalGas is committed to replacing 20 percent of its traditional
natural gas supply with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. By
developing renewable gas from our state's abundant organic waste
streams, we can help to meet our climate goals sooner, while
diversifying our carbon-free energy sources, improving energy
resilience and reliability, while also creating additional
renewable fuel and jobs for our communities. SoCalGas is also
committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while
keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2014 through 2018,
the company invested nearly $6.5 billion to upgrade and
modernize its pipeline system to enhance safety and reliability.
SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an
energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more
information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with
SoCalGas
on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas)
and Facebook.
About Los Angeles Urban League
Los Angeles Urban League (LAUL)
serves, educates and empowers African Americans and other
minorities to secure economic self-reliance and civil rights by
providing targeted social programs and advocating for issues that
benefit our communities. The Los Angeles Urban League, founded in
1921, is a flagship affiliate of the National Urban League, founded
in New York City in 1910. It is
one more than 90 affiliates in the United
States. The Los Angeles Urban League helps thousands of
Angelenos annually through its programs focusing on education,
entrepreneurship, job training and placement. Visit and follow the
Los Angeles Urban League at laul.org.
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SOURCE Southern California Gas Company