The California Energy Commission approved four California Training for Residential Energy Contractors, or CA-TREC, grants at its July 8 business meeting, backing apprenticeship support, student services and contractor training tied to residential electrification work.
According to the meeting summary, commissioners approved the package as part of the consent calendar. The CA-TREC staff recommendations list four grants: $5 million to the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California for apprenticeship expansion, $1.5 million to Los Angeles Trade-Technical College for counseling and job-search support, $1.5 million to the trades council for childcare, tools and expanded access for apprentices, and $1,289,757 to the Western States Council of SMART for contractor training, equipment, curriculum, licenses and scholarships.
The staff recommendation says the grants are meant to support residential energy contractor training statewide and that the program is intended to help expand the workforce for heat pump and electrification work. The summary also says the commission approved apprenticeship support, contractor training, counseling, childcare, tools, curriculum and scholarships.
The CA-TREC presentation identifies the grants as recommended approvals under the program and notes that the agreement referenced as FED-26-004 is exempt from CEQA. Public commenters at the meeting, including labor and training representatives, said the funding would help reduce barriers for apprentices and workers and strengthen the pipeline for residential clean-energy installation.
The materials provided do not include a final vote tally or a final resolution with combined funding and match totals, so those details are not stated here.
