WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Established in 2020, the Central Valley Training Center offers hands-on, 10-week pre-apprenticeship training to prepare students for careers in the construction trades. To date, 268 graduates have completed the program, moving on to join unions, work for subcontractors, and contribute to high-speed rail construction in the Central Valley.
SELMA, Calif. – The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) today celebrated 17 new graduates of the Central Valley Training Center (CVTC) in Selma. Since launching in 2020, the 10-week pre-apprenticeship program has graduated 268 students, helping them launch careers in the skilled trades.
At a ceremony held at the Selma Arts Center, graduates Jose Ponce of Visalia and Alexa Valdez of Hanford shared their stories and future goals.
Ponce, inspired by friends who had previously completed the program, said, “My goal is to join a union—hopefully with the cement masons or carpenters. After learning from tradespeople, instructors, and business partners, I’ve gained a new perspective. I want to help build bridges, maybe even work on high-speed rail one day. Seeing the Hanford Viaduct under construction—it’s history in the making, and I want to be part of it.”
For Valdez, the program was a path out of warehouse work and a step toward continuing her grandfather’s legacy.
“He was a cement mason, and I used to help him. I like working with my hands—I’m not made for an office. I saw this opportunity and took it. My next step is getting a union job,”
The CVTC introduces students to 10 construction trades and provides hands-on training alongside journeymen from fields such as ironwork, carpentry, roofing, and masonry. Graduates also earn several industry certifications to help them enter the workforce.
The program is a partnership among the Authority, the Fresno-Madera-Kings-Tulare Building Trades Council, Fresno Economic Development Corporation, Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission, and the City of Selma.
High Speed Rail Progress
Work continues daily on the high-speed rail project, with 171 miles currently under design and construction from Merced to Bakersfield. Nearly 70 miles of guideway are complete, along with 55 structures, with 29 more underway across Madera, Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties.
Since construction began, the project has created over 15,500 good-paying jobs—most filled by Central Valley residents. Up to 1,700 workers report to high-speed rail construction sites each day.
