Increasing Worker Power Through High Road Training Partnerships: Lessons From a California Initiative

Beyond the typical challenges of workforce development lies a unique set faced by BIPOC and immigrant workers, including racial discrimination, social isolation, language barriers and threats of deportation. These hurdles underscore the importance of worker power, facilitated through unions and worker leaders, in fostering safe and dignified environments. California’s High Road Training Partnerships (HRTP) exemplify this approach by centering worker voice and focusing on collaborative efforts among industry leaders—workers, unions, and employers—to redefine workforce development. This session explores three key areas: (1) the foundational principles of HRTP; (2) distinctions between HRTP and traditional models, highlighting the partnership between workers, unions, and employers; and (3) insights gained from implementing HRTP over the past five years.

Speakers