Wilmington, Calif. --- (March 24, 2023) – Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson) presented a $110 million check to the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach for a new workforce training center.
“As a prior member of and now current Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Ports and Goods Movement, I was happy to champion funding for this state-of-the-art training facility,” said Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson. “This training facility is the first of its kind in the nation and will serve current and future port and goods movement workers and be a model for the rest of the country. As our ports continue to transition to zero-emissions cargo handling equipment, workers will need to know how to operate and maintain new technologies. This critical resource will support our workers now and also build a future generation of talent that will remain a crutch in our state’s economy. For our communities and my district especially, this is a game changer.”
“I’m thrilled to join so many partners in welcoming the Goods Movement Training Campus to the San Pedro ports complex,” said Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach). “Ensuring smooth and efficient operations of our supply chain requires skilled and trained workers. This campus will be the home for just that.”
“The $110 million state budget allocation towards the creation of the Goods Movement Training Campus that brings together the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach is a demonstration of California's commitment towards addressing climate change and the creation of green jobs,” said Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles) “By investing in this campus, we are investing in the training of a green workforce, remaining true to our focus on job quality, equity, and sustainability. As both the port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach continue to devote their operations to human-operated, zero-emissions cargo handling equipment, this project ushers in a potential for our Los Angeles region to provide an example for the rest of the state and nation thereafter. This investment is about our collective future in which we find solutions towards climate change and ensure our workforce and communities of interests have the resources to thrive.”
“As Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Ports and Goods Movement and Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, I am happy to see such a great investment in our goods movement workforce,” said Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach). “From longshore and trucking to warehouse and logistics employees, we need to ensure that all workers of the San Pedro Bay ports complex and workers in the goods movement sector have access to the training and skill-building opportunities they need. This will help build a strong and resilient workforce, ready for the challenges that may come, whether that is a pandemic causing supply chain disruptions or striving for a cleaner environment and technologies”
“This new Goods Movement Training Campus represents a critical investment not only in our ports, but in our people,” said Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena). “I was proud to support and vote for the $110 million in state budget funding. This campus will be a model for developing a vital workforce and supporting the creation of good-paying, union jobs.”
“In 2022, my budget committee and the state legislature approved, and the Governor signed, $110 million for this state-of-the-art training facility,” said Senator Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles). “The first-in-the-nation campus dedicated to the goods movement workforce - that means new workers will get access to high paid careers at the port, upskill and re-skill to meet the needs of industry. We want to keep our high paid workers in the longshore, and we want warehousing and trucking industries to have access to high paid careers. Reinvigorating our goods workers will boost climate adaptation projects which are so desperately needed in our communities.”
“I commend California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Assemblymember Gipson for their leadership and commitment to our ports and its workforce,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “Our state and local elected officials supporting this effort recognize the importance of training and development in the goods movement sector. This investment will ensure that we can upskill, reskill and address the rapidly changing needs of the logistics industry while leaving no one behind.”
“We thank the state for investing in the future of our goods movement workforce as this port complex continues to balance supply chain challenges while accelerating the deployment of zero-emissions technologies and furthering a framework for 24/7 operations,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Mario Cordero. “We have a responsibility to support training that will create jobs -- not eliminate jobs, to combat climate change, enhance cargo velocity and safety for dockworkers, and maintain our position as one of the region’s leading economic engines.”
The Campus will train for longshore, trucking, warehousing and logistics occupations. This campus is part of a long term strategy by POLA & POLB to increase the number of career path opportunities across the entire goods movement sector.