PLEASANTON, California, May 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — An innovative academy to train low-skilled workers in golf course maintenance and eventually careers with livable wages, health and retirement benefits is ready to launch at San Francisco’s Gleneagles Golf Course at McLaren Park.  The PGA, non-profits, labor and business organizations, City departments and community leaders endorse this jobs academy.

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150501/213294

Gleneagles GC is the only city owned golf course in the Southeast part of San Francisco.  It is home to working class golfers and is in desperate need of repair in every category.

“In order for our residents to share in the prosperity of our great City, we need to make sure they get access to the job training they will need to get a good paying job to support themselves and their families,” said Mayor Ed Lee. “We are bringing together public, private and non-profit agencies in this new approach to workforce development at Gleneagles, so that we set up our residents for success today and into the future. Thank you to the Northern California District Council of Laborers for forming this new jobs academy at Gleneagles golf course so our residents, particularly those in the Southeast sector of our City, can share in the success of our City.”

The Gleneagles Training Academy will provide a useful “classroom” experience for low income workers who are part of federal workforce programs, such as JobsNow!.  The golf course is over 53 years old and is ideally located in the neighborhoods that have a disproportionate need for this special type of training. The goal is to provide a much higher level of job readiness, accountability, skills building, mentorship and follow through than any program in the state or nation.

“For decades people from the neighborhoods could walk up to our gates but never find meaningful employment,” said Tom Hsieh, general partner of Gleneagles Golf Partners, who operates the property through a lease with the Recreation and Parks Department. “Through this academy we will not only be helping people with jobs, we will be identifying new workers for careers in golf course maintenance, landscaping or the building and construction trades.”

Academy Trainees, known as “pre-apprentices” will be put through a hands-on, six-week training curriculum administered by the Laborers’ Community Training Foundation (LCTF).  The goal is to have trainees complete the “pre-apprenticeship” program at Gleneagles Training Academy, receive a California state “pre-apprenticeship certificate” recognized by various unions and then have them complete a more rigorous “apprenticeship” program at a local union.  Once they have completed their “apprenticeship” training, they can apply for a job at a local golf course or one of the many construction jobs in the City that have a local hire requirement.

“We believe that the Gleneagles Training Academy will act as a live 60 acre classroom where pre-apprenticeship trainees can learn hard skills with hand and power tools, as well as soft skills like teamwork, communication and safety,” said Leonard Gonzalez, director of the Laborers’ Community Training Foundation. “We will get them ready for a more rigorous apprenticeship program, then help transition them into the workforce with good paying jobs.”