LA Needs 100,000 Construction Workers as Community Colleges Race to Train Them

Community colleges in Los Angeles are rapidly expanding construction training programs to help rebuild after devastating wildfires

Apr. 10, 2026 at 10:09pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a single, iconic construction tool such as a hammer, repeated in a tight grid pattern, capturing the urgency and energy of the construction industry's efforts to rebuild Los Angeles.Amid a severe labor shortage, community colleges in Los Angeles are rapidly expanding construction training programs to help rebuild the city after devastating wildfires.Pasadena Today

Los Angeles is facing a severe shortage of construction workers, with over 100,000 new positions needed to help rebuild after recent wildfires. Community colleges in the area are racing to expand their construction training programs, using state funding to add new curricula and facilities. Students like Hudson Idov are enrolling to gain skills in carpentry, electrical work, and other in-demand trades, with the goal of starting their own construction companies to aid the rebuilding effort.

Why it matters

The destruction caused by the Palisades and Eaton fires has exacerbated an existing labor shortage in the construction industry in Los Angeles, leaving the city in critical need of qualified workers to rebuild homes, businesses, and infrastructure. Community colleges are playing a vital role in training the next generation of construction workers to meet this demand and help the city recover from the devastating wildfires.

The details

Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and other local community colleges have received $5 million in state funding to expand their construction training programs. This includes adding new curricula, supplies, and a 55,000-square-foot training center at Pasadena City College. Students like Hudson Idov are enrolling in programs like carpentry to learn skills like building concrete foundations, installing rebar, and framing buildings - all critical for fire-damaged areas. However, the colleges face challenges like limited budgets for supplies and low graduation rates, as many students struggle to balance school, work, and family responsibilities.

  • In 2024, Los Angeles Trade-Tech received a $20 million federal grant from the EPA to support its construction training programs, but the grant was later canceled by the Trump administration.
  • Last year, the state awarded five Los Angeles community colleges a total of $5 million to train more construction workers to help rebuild from the Palisades and Eaton fires.

The players

Hudson Idov

A recent high school graduate who enrolled in the carpentry program at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College after his family's home was destroyed in the Palisades Fire. He and a classmate hope to one day start their own construction company to aid the rebuilding effort.

Jaime Alvarez

A carpentry instructor at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, where he teaches students the skills needed to rebuild fire-damaged structures, including how to work with concrete foundations.

Abigail Patton

The vice president of academic affairs at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, who oversees the college's construction, maintenance, and utilities programs and the allocation of funding for student supplies.

Nicole Jordan

A professor who teaches the first semester of the carpentry program at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, where she emphasizes the importance of studying blueprints and building codes before students can start hands-on construction work.

Coalition for Responsible Community Development

An economic development organization based in south Los Angeles that was set to receive $2 million from a $20 million federal grant to Los Angeles Trade-Tech, before the grant was canceled by the Trump administration.

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What they’re saying

“We have big, big 10-year plans.”

— Hudson Idov, Student

“We can't put out enough people.”

— Jaime Alvarez, Carpentry Instructor

“Maybe the Biden-Harris Administration shouldn't have forced its radical agenda of wasteful DEI programs and 'environmental justice' priorities on the EPA's core mission. Thankfully, those days are over.”

— Brigit Hirsch, Press Secretary, Environmental Protection Agency

“We get floods of students that want to do this, and I say it's not all fun and games in terms of swinging a hammer. We do a lot of math and a lot of book work.”

— Nicole Jordan, Carpentry Professor

“We the best. Carpentry.”

— Carpentry Students

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.