District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo has introduced a policy request aimed at ensuring that City of San Antonio-funded construction projects are primarily built by local workers who have completed or are currently enrolled in Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship programs, certified bilingual training programs, or the city’s Ready to Work Program.

Councilmember Castillo stated, "The Construction Trades Policy is about opening doors for our community — equipping our residents with the skills and training they need for good-paying, career-building jobs. By expanding access to apprenticeship programs and workforce development through our City-funded construction projects, we’re not only empowering individuals and families, but also strengthening our local economy with a highly-skilled workforce ready to meet the demands of the construction industry."

The proposed Construction Trades Policy (CTP) has the dual goals of providing economic opportunities for local residents by promoting training in construction trades, thereby creating a pool of qualified, ready-to-work skilled laborers, and simultaneously enhancing the quality and safety standards within the construction industry. The policy aligns with the Department of Labor's findings that apprenticeship programs benefit both employers, through recruitment and retention of skilled workers, and employees, through increased employability, earning potential, and productivity.

Under the proposed CTP, all City of San Antonio-sponsored construction projects valued at over $10,000,000 would be required to have a minimum of 35% of their total workforce comprised of individuals who are current enrollees or graduates of a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)-registered Apprenticeship Program or a DOL-certified Bilingual Training Program. For projects valued at less than $10,000,000, a trainee requirement would be implemented, scaled according to the project's budget.

The policy request also includes the development of a Construction Readiness Pipeline. This pipeline would involve Ready to Work-approved organizations that provide pre-employment, pre-apprentice, and apprentice-readiness training, further supporting the development of a local skilled workforce.

Construction Budget	Trainee Requirement
$500K - $2.5M	4
Over $2.5M - $5M	8
Over $5M - $10M	12
Over $10M	35% of total workforce

Next, the CTP policy request will go to the Governance Committee for further action.