INVESTING IN OUR INDUSTRY F


rank Perez wasn’t sure what to expect when he came across information last year about Build


California’s construction career connec- tion services on Instagram and decided to contact the organization for help. Although he had recently been in-


carcerated and had zero construction experience, Perez was extremely driven and determined to launch a new chapter in his life. At the time he was in the pro- cess of completing the Anti-Recidivism Coalition’s (ARC) rigorous, 11-week Sec- ond Chance Apprenticeship Readiness Program. He just needed a company that was willing to take a chance on him and sponsor his apprenticeship through the local carpenter’s union. Despite previously having built a successful 10-year career in restaurant management prior to serving time for a nonviolent offense, Perez said he was drawn to the opportunities he saw in a career in the construction trades. “I wanted to rebuild my life, spend more time with my family and find a career that would allow me an honest living with a decent wage,” he noted. While the information he had read


Frank Perez


Build California Connects ISEC with Apprentice Seeking Second Chance


BY CAROL EATON 24


CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR MAY/JUNE 2025


about how Build California connects workers with employers at first “kind of seemed too good to be true,” Perez pro- ceeded to create a profile on their website and waited to see what would happen, while continuing his own ongoing search for a sponsor. It wasn’t long before he got a call from


Yasaman (Yasi) Mohammadi, senior workforce placement coordinator for Build California. She spent time listen- ing to his story and, after learning more about his background and getting to know him, Build California staff ultimately put Perez in touch with Andrew Biggs, vice president with ISEC, Inc., an AGC of California specialty contractor member that is signatory to the Carpenters union.


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