(TELi) Tradeswomen Empowerment Leadership Institute
Co-Ed Construction Training Program
A 110-hour basic construction readiness program for adults in Los Angeles County. Held evenings and Saturdays at our Commerce training center — tuition-free for qualifying applicants — with First Aid/CPR and OSHA 10 certifications earned along the way.
A proven program, opened to more Angelenos.
For thirty-seven years WINTER has trained women for the construction trades. This new cohort extends that training to a broader population — funded by federal disaster-recovery dollars allocated to Los Angeles County workforce development.
The Co-Ed Construction Training Program is delivered by WINTER under funding specifically allocated for workforce development in Los Angeles County following the 2018 California wildfires (federal disaster declaration DR-4407).
Federal grant priorities call for outreach to people whose path into the trades has historically been hardest — dislocated workers, the long-term unemployed, formerly incarcerated and justice-involved adults, former foster youth, residents of low-income or public housing, recipients of public benefits, and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking.
The Co-Ed Program is open to any qualifying applicant — and we actively encourage applications from these communities. WINTER's training model has been refined across decades; the curriculum, the wrap-around supports, and the staff are the same ones that have moved thousands of Angelenos toward steady careers.
The result is straightforward: more residents prepared with foundational skills, safety training, and the confidence to step onto a construction site.
What the 110 hours look like.
Nine training modules, two certifications, one cohort that meets three nights a week and on Saturdays for the length of the program.
Duration
& Format
- Total instruction
- 110 hours of in-person training
- Schedule
- Weekday early evenings and Saturdays
- Location
- WINTER Training Center · 2057 S Atlantic Blvd, Commerce, CA 90040
- Cohort size
- 20 participants
- Next cohort
- To be confirmed — contact us for current dates
Curriculum
Table
| Module | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Tools and materials | 20 |
| 02 | Physical conditioning for trades work | 20 |
| 03 | Construction math | 20 |
| 04 | OSHA 10 safety certification | 10 |
| 05 | Construction health and safety | 10 |
| 06 | Reading comprehension for trades documentation | 10 |
| 07 | Life skills for trades careers | 10 |
| 08 | First Aid and CPR | 8 |
| 09 | Introduction to the building and construction trades | 2 |
| Total instruction | 110 |
Certifications
Earned
OSHA 10
Construction Industry Safety credential. Widely recognized across construction job sites; required for many entry-level trade positions.
First Aid & CPR
Industry-recognized certification covering CPR, first response, and emergency care relevant to active job sites.
Certification fees are covered by the program for qualifying participants.
Wrap-around
Support
For participants who need them, the program provides:
- Childcare assistance during training hours
- Clinical and mental health support through partner providers
- Financial-barrier support for transportation, work boots, and program-related costs
- Wellness programming in partnership with Unity Christian Fellowship
- Legal training & rights advocacy in partnership with Equal Rights Advocates
Open to adults in LA County. No experience required.
The program is built for entry-level applicants. If you meet the four criteria below, you're encouraged to apply.
Age 18+
Eighteen years or older by the program start date.
LA County resident
Reside in Los Angeles County. Proof of address required at intake.
Work-authorized
U.S. citizenship, permanent residency, or valid U.S. work authorization.
Low-Income limit
Household income at or below the Low-Income limit for Los Angeles County, applied at intake.
No prior construction experience is required. Intake documentation: photo ID, Social Security card or alternative work-authorization documents, address verification, and income documentation.
Skills you keep — and two certifications you carry.
Graduates leave the program with foundational construction knowledge, job-site safety training, and credentials recognized across the industry.
Foundational construction knowledge
Hands-on familiarity with hand tools, power tools, common materials, blueprint and document reading, and the construction math used on the job every day.
Job-site safety training
Hazard awareness, construction health and safety practices, and the certifications a contractor will ask to see before you walk a site.
Physical & life-skill readiness
Targeted physical conditioning for trades work and the workplace skills — communication, problem-solving, professionalism — that sustain a career.
OSHA 10 certification
The Construction Industry Safety credential is yours when you graduate. It travels with you to any job site, any employer.
First Aid & CPR certification
Current First Aid and CPR certification — useful at work, useful at home.
A WINTER alumni connection
Graduates join the WINTER alumni community and gain continued access to staff and resources as they pursue their next step.
Three steps. We'll be in touch.
Complete WINTER's application form. Our intake staff will follow up to confirm your eligibility and invite you to an information session.
Questions before applying? Call (213) 749-3970 or email info@winterwomen.org and we'll walk you through it.
- Step oneSubmit the application. Five to ten minutes online.
- Step twoEligibility review. Staff confirm residency, work authorization, and income.
- Step threeInformation session & intake. Bring your documentation, meet the team, lock your seat.
Delivered with partners. Funded by HCD.
WINTER
Women In Non-Traditional Employment Roles — training delivery, since 1987.
Tradeswomen, Inc.
Project administrator and fiscal agent.
Unity Christian Fellowship
Outreach and wellness programming for participants.
Equal Rights Advocates
Legal training and rights-advocacy support.
Funding is provided by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) through the Community Development Block Grant — Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Workforce Development Program under the Tradeswomen Empowerment Leadership Institute (TELi).
Common questions, answered.
Q.01Is the program really free?
Yes — for qualifying applicants. Federal disaster-recovery funding administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development covers the cost of instruction, course materials, and key supportive services such as childcare, transportation assistance, and certification fees. Eligibility is based on Los Angeles County residency, household income at or below the Low-Income limit for Los Angeles County, and standard intake documentation including photo ID and work authorization.
Q.02Do I need any prior construction experience?
No. The program is designed for adults entering the trades for the first time, as well as those returning to the workforce after time away. The 110-hour curriculum covers safety, construction math, tools and materials, physical conditioning, and the workplace skills needed to succeed on a job site.
Q.03How long is the program?
110 hours of instruction, delivered weekday early evenings and Saturdays at WINTER's Commerce training center. The exact cohort schedule is confirmed at the start of each cohort.
Q.04Is this the same as WINTER's women's program?
The curriculum draws on WINTER's three-plus decades of experience training women for the construction trades. The Co-Ed Cohort is delivered evenings and Saturdays — designed for applicants who are working, caregiving, or otherwise unable to attend a daytime schedule — and is open to all qualifying applicants regardless of gender.
Q.05What certifications will I earn?
Graduates complete training toward two industry-recognized certifications: OSHA 10 (Construction Industry Safety) and First Aid / CPR. Both are widely recognized by employers across the construction sector and useful on a wide range of job sites.
Q.06Is supportive-services help available?
Yes. For qualifying participants, the program funds childcare during training hours, clinical and mental health support, and financial assistance for trades-related costs such as transportation, work boots, and certification fees. Wellness programming is delivered in partnership with Unity Christian Fellowship; legal training and rights advocacy is delivered in partnership with Equal Rights Advocates.
We're here to help you apply.
Questions about eligibility, schedule, or supportive services? Reach our intake team — we'll walk you through what to bring and how to prepare.
Commerce, CA 90040