Coachella Electrician Training Lab Nears Opening as 50 Residents Wait
Economic Development Sub-Committee • CoachellaSeptember 3, 2026
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A new electrician training lab in Coachella is built and waiting on one final gate: inspection by the state and a labor union. At its Sept. 3, 2026, meeting, the city's Economic Development Sub-Committee heard an informational presentation on the lab. Members took no formal action but pushed staff to widen the program's reach, from women entering the trades to county workforce dollars.
- Electrician lab awaits state and union inspection, with about 50 people already on the waitlist
- CET reports 70%+ job placement and starting wages around $22 for graduates
- HVAC scholarship money nearly depleted, and construction funding is close behind
- CET weighs plumbing or EV technician training for 2,000 square feet of new space, at about $100,000
- Members push outreach to women and ties to county workforce offices
A Trades Pipeline, One Inspection Away
The basics: The lab is part of Coachella Prospera, the city's workforce training effort. Its partners include the Center for Employment Training (CET), which teaches green building construction and HVAC/green technology and is adding an electrician course. Grid Alternatives runs solar installation training, a Solar Corps Fellowship and Solar Futures with Coachella Valley High School and Nova Academy. The Southern California Mountains Foundation runs the Urban Youth Conservation Corps.
Why it matters: The program offers residents a path into a well-paid trade without a four-year degree. A CET representative reported a training-related placement rate above 70% and starting wages around $22 an hour.
Where things stand: City staff said the city building official has finalized the lab. The state and a labor union still need to inspect it, and staff and CET expect that inspection this week or next. The city's chief building official plans to attend, which signals city backing during a step the city doesn't control.
Inspection opens a longer approval chain. CET said the program then goes to a monthly meeting before submission to the state Department of Education and the BPPE, California's Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.
Capacity: CET plans 25 seats in a day class, followed by an evening class and later hybrid options. That could reach about 100 students a year. Each course runs 900 hours, or about 8.5 to 9 months. Against a waitlist of about 50, the first day class will not clear the backlog.
The union question: Chair Delgado asked about IBEW certification and whether graduates land jobs. CET said it will offer MC3, a course that prepares students for the union apprenticeship exam. CET also cited employer ties with West Coast Electric and Berry Construction. The answer suggests graduates could either go straight to work or enter a union apprenticeship.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: No vote was taken. Waitlisted residents gain if the inspection goes smoothly. Local electrical contractors gain a new pool of entry-level workers. The union's role as an inspector gives organized labor a direct hand in the program's launch.
What's next: The state and union inspection is expected within about two weeks of the meeting, followed by the education approvals.
Money Runs Thin as Demand Grows
Why it matters: Grant dollars, not interest, now set the pace of enrollment. Those dollars also decide whether neighboring East Valley residents get a seat.
Where things stand: Chair Delgado asked whether grant money is reserved only for Coachella residents. Staff said the funding is for the Coachella Prospera program, and others can enroll if room remains. CET said most of its students already come from the East Valley.
The squeeze is real. CET said HVAC scholarship funding is almost depleted, and construction scholarship money is close behind.
Other funding streams: CET listed several other sources:
- An IREN-related grant from the state Employment Development Department (EDD)
- A farmworker grant
- Federal Pell grants through FAFSA
- TCC scholarships
- The Hire2 grant for justice-involved individuals, which starts in October
Expansion on the table: Staff said CET might add green plumbing or EV technician training and cited a cost of about $80,000. CET said plumbing is expensive because the space needs structural changes, but it ranks high in labor market data. Reed's would donate equipment, and CET estimated the build-out at about $100,000. Instructors, CET said, are a major ongoing expense. One member urged choosing the trade that brings the most benefit, even at a higher cost. No commitment was made.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Coachella Prospera enrollees have first claim on the money. Neighboring East Valley residents compete for what's left, and justice-involved residents gain a new path when Hire2 begins. The cost gap between staff's figure and CET's estimate is a number to watch if the city is asked to help fund the expansion.
What's next: The Hire2 grant starts in October. CET has not yet chosen between plumbing and EV training.
Recruiting Women, Tapping County Offices
Where things stand: CET noted that adding plumbing could make an already male-dominated campus even more so. Chair Delgado disagreed with the idea that this should hold women back.
"I think plumbing and electrical programs are wonderful for women," said Chair Delgado.
Vice Chair Edham suggested the city partner with schools and COD to introduce students to the trades early. CET said the county workforce development office distributes its flyers but does not directly fund its programs.
That gap prompted a direct proposal. "Let's connect them with two different entities," said Vice Chair Edham, referring to the county Office of Economic Development and Workforce Development. Staff agreed to reach out to both offices.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The move is informal but could matter. County agencies could become a new funding source as city-backed scholarships run dry. Outreach through schools could widen the program's base beyond the current applicant pool.
What's next: Staff will follow up with both county offices. No date for a report back was set.
Minor Items
- Agenda: Chair Delgado moved to approve the agenda and Vice Chair Edham seconded; no vote result was announced.
- Roll call: Chair Delgado and Vice Chair Edham were the only members recorded present.
- Minutes: There were no minutes to approve.
- Closing remarks: One speaker urged trade schools and certification over college debt and called on school districts to connect with unions.
Looking Ahead
Watch for the state and union inspection of the electrician lab and for staff's outreach to county economic development and workforce offices. Readers can also ask how the city plans to backfill nearly exhausted HVAC and construction scholarship funds.