CALIFORNIA — October 28, 2026. The California Workforce Development Board (CWDB), working with Caltrans, has opened a second application round for its High Road Construction Careers 2026 program. The state’s current program page identifies $19 million in available funding, with a goal of helping eligible regional workforce partnerships train more people for infrastructure and construction jobs.

What the new funding is intended to do

According to the agency, the program is designed to help regions respond to construction hiring demand, prepare participants for joint apprenticeship pathways, and expand entry opportunities for people who have historically faced barriers to the trades. The state specifically mentions women, veterans and justice-involved people among the groups the training approach is intended to reach.

It is important to distinguish training grants from cash grants to individual workers. Round Two is open to existing HRCC regions only, CWDB states. A California resident hoping to enter an apprenticeship should look for participating regional training providers rather than assume that individuals can file directly for a portion of the $19 million.

Application schedule and eligibility

  • October 28, 2026: Request for applications released and application period opened.
  • November 18, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. Pacific: Office-hours session listed by the agency.
  • December 3, 2026, at 5 p.m. Pacific: Application deadline on the current official program page.
  • February 2027: Expected award announcement, subject to change.

Qualified applicants are directed to the Cal-E-Grants portal and the HRCC 2026 funding opportunity. The state lists an expected thirteen awards, but has not published final recipients or awarded amounts for this round. CWDB asks applicants to monitor the program page because its schedule may change.

Why local communities should pay attention

California’s infrastructure work depends on trained workers in road building, construction and related trades. Funding a regional training network can affect future access to apprenticeships, especially in places where residents face long commutes or have limited information about entering the industry. However, the current announcement is a competitive funding opportunity, not evidence that a specific town has already received a grant or that a new class is accepting students today.

Official source

California Workforce Development Board: High Road Construction Careers 2026, Round Two. CWDB lists its grant contact as Solicitations@cwdb.ca.gov. California58 checked the agency’s published information on October 28, 2026; final eligibility and dates are controlled by the official request for applications.

INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM ACROSS CALIFORNIA

Support independent journalism for all Californians

Support reporting, public information and community coverage across California’s 58 counties.

Donate once by card ↗
Support independent California journalism Your contribution helps build and sustain independent community reporting across California.
Support California58

Choose how to support California58:

Credit / Debit Card via Stripe

Choose an amount from $1. One-time support through the publisher's LINKERNO Stripe account.

Continue with PayPal Continue with Zelle

Zelle payments go to Vitaly Ataev Troshin. Please verify the recipient in your bank before sending. Availability depends on your bank.

Optional reader support. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible. Support does not influence editorial decisions.
Optional support through the publisher. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible and never buy editorial influence.

USEFUL SERVICES

Useful services from our ecosystem

AFFILIATED RESOURCE

Travel smarter worldwide

OptionTrip

AI-powered trip planning for journeys in California and around the world.

Explore OptionTrip →

AFFILIATED RESOURCE

Free tax & property tools

TaxesTime

Free preliminary tax and property tools, including the Property Tax Savings Report.

Explore TaxesTime →

AFFILIATED RESOURCE

California document support

LegalDocSVC

Document preparation support for self-represented Californians. Not a law firm and not legal advice.

Explore LegalDocSVC →

WORK WITH CALIFORNIA58

Have a story, project or partnership idea?

California58 welcomes news tips, interviews, video projects, community partnerships, advertising and other California-focused collaborations.

Work with California58 →

COMMUNITY

Comments

Join the California58 conversation. You must be signed in to comment.