District 5 Councilmember Files Construction Trades Policy Request

Published on April 17, 2025

SAN ANTONIO (April 17, 2025) – District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo has filed a policy request to ensure City of San Antonio funded construction projects are built by local workers who are graduates or current students of the Department of Labor’s registered apprenticeship programs, certified bilingual training programs, or participants from the Ready to Work Program. 

"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,” stated Councilmember Castillo. “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 goal of the Construction Trades Policy (CTP) is to provide economic opportunities to residents by fostering training in the construction trades to develop a pool of qualified, ready-to-work skilled workers, while also improving the quality of work and safety in the industry. According to the Department of Labor, apprenticeship programs help employers recruit, build, and retain a highly-skilled workforce. Workers benefit from these programs through increased employability, earning potential, and productivity.

For all COSA-sponsored construction projects over $10,000,000 the CTP would require a minimum of 35% of the total workforce associated with construction of the project to be current enrollees or Graduates of a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)-registered Apprenticeship Program or DOL-certified Bilingual Training Program. Projects less than $10,000,000 would carry a trainee requirement scaled to the construction budget amount (see table below). A Construction Readiness Pipeline, to include Ready to Work-approved organizations who provide pre-employment, pre-apprentice, and apprentice-readiness training will also be developed as part of this request.

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