Why Workforce Development?
In the Inland Empire (IE), there are numerous programs and initiatives designed to help individuals explore alternative pathways into skilled trades and apprenticeships. These opportunities are essential for building a strong, local workforce and for opening doors to high-quality, well-paying careers.
However, a critical gap remains: while many people are completing certifications and training programs, they are not always being hired locally by unions or employers. This disconnect is largely due to a lack of coordination among the institutions involved—training providers, educational organizations, and unions are often not working collaboratively or strategically enough to ensure that these efforts lead to actual employment.
Workforce development is about more than just offering training; it’s about creating a seamless pipeline from education to employment. That means aligning curricula with real industry needs, fostering stronger relationships between unions and training institutions, and ensuring that people who are trained are also fully prepared—and positioned—to be hired.
Closing this loop is essential. By investing in integrated, collaborative workforce development strategies, we can build a more inclusive and effective labor ecosystem that benefits workers, employers, and our entire region.
Campaigns and Efforts:
Workers Advisory Council
Illustration by Trent Wakenight.
The Workers Advisory Council was established as a strategic and inclusive space for workers across the region to come together, share their experiences, and collaborate on shaping solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing our workforce today.
This council is more than just a meeting place—it is a platform for deep dialogue, collective problem-solving, and proactive planning. It brings together workers from diverse industries, backgrounds, and identities to ensure that their voices are not only heard but are central to shaping the policies and practices that affect their livelihoods.
One of the core goals of the Workers Advisory Council is to confront the often-overlooked, yet deeply impactful, intersectional issues that shape people’s experiences in the workforce. These include—but are not limited to—race, gender, immigration status, socioeconomic background, and more. By intentionally creating space for honest and sometimes difficult conversations, the Council aims to address the root causes of inequity and advocate for systemic change that benefits all workers.
Through regular convenings, strategic planning sessions, and engagement with local stakeholders, the Council works to inform workforce development strategies, influence policy decisions, and foster solidarity across the region. It is a vital step toward building a more equitable, worker-centered economy—one where every individual has the opportunity to thrive with dignity and respect.
ABOUT PLUG IN IE
Who is Plug In IE?
We envision an Inland Empire region that balances economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and community participation. Through high road partnerships, together we can widen pathways to family-supporting careers and foster a healthier environment for all.
IE Promise
The IE Promise is a commitment to raise awareness and educate students in the Inland Empire about alternative pathways to employment and success.
Why the IE Promise?
- Students should get to choose, and that means we have to expose them to more of the reality that exisits. Just because they aren’t aware, many don’t plan ahead to go into long-term paths that can help us fight the poverty and unemployment issues we have.
- There is an opportunity to enhance job prospects in the local economy by promoting pre-apprenticeship programs, enabling students to secure jobs after high school, regardless of whether they choose college or trade.
- The IE Promise aims to create inclusive career pathways for students who may not pursue traditional college. In the Inland Empire, only about 57% of graduates attend university, significantly lower than the state average (Public Policy Institute of California).
- Pre-apprenticeships provide crucial exposure and serve as a stepping stone to long-term, well-paying jobs with union benefits, ideally within the Inland Empire.