RichmondBUILD Academy

Like many urban communities, the City of Richmond faces the challenges of high unemployment and underserved populations.

On April 23, 2007, it launched RichmondBUILD, a public private partnership focused on developing talent and skill in the high growth, high wage construction and renewable energy fields.

All of RichmondBUILD participants come from low income households. Ninety-five percent are minorities and over 30 percent have a history with the justice system. The programs reputation for placing graduates in well paying jobs means over 100 residents compete for the 35 available seats in each class.
RichmondBUILD Video

RichmondBUILD has become the model for effective public private partnership. Its partners are steadfastly committed to the program and contribute in a variety of ways. For example, Rising Sun Energy Center contributes instructional components that educate participants in energy efficiency, water conservation, home performance testing, and retrofitting.

RichmondBUILD participants complete the core Carpentry Pre-Apprenticeship track, and then choose from the following electives:

Extended Carpentry
Hazardous Waste Removal
Solar Energy
Energy Efficiency
Electrical Wiring & Theory

The program places an impressive 80 percent of its graduates at an average starting wage of $18.33 an hour.

As a result of the hard work from team RichmondBUILD, we have received substantial national and international recognition as an exemplary green-collar job training program.
2016 - RichmondBUILD recognized at UC Berkeley's 7th annual Chancellor's Community Leaders Breakfast
2011 - Green Community College Summit Award for Curriculum
2010 - U.S. Green Building Council (Northern California Chapter) awarded RichmondBUILD Honorable Mention for Outstanding Community Organization of the Year
2009 - RichmondBUILD was a semifinalist for the Harvard Innovations in American Government Award.
2009 - Conservation Champion Award presented to RichmondBUILD by Senator Barbara Boxer.
2008 - RichmondBUILD received the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award, which honors individuals and organizations for their efforts in combating crime, terrorism, drugs, and violence in America. In addition, the Apollo Alliance and Green For All deemed the program a national “best practice” in Green For All’s publication, Green-Collar Jobs in America’s Cities.

View our video about RichmondBUILD.

Interested applicants may sign up at the RichmondWORKS’ One Stop Center, located at 330 - 25th Street, Richmond CA 94804. For more information, please call: 510-621-1781.

Interested?

New class starting on May 1, 2017. View RB Recruitment Flyer to find out if you qualify.