SELMA, Calif. (FOX26) — The California High-Speed Rail Authority celebrated the graduation of 17 new students from the Central Valley Training Center in Selma.

The 10-week pre-apprenticeship program has successfully graduated 268 students, equipping them with skills for careers in the trades since the program started in 2020.

A ceremony was held at the Selma Arts Center, graduates Jose Ponce from Visalia and Alexa Valdez from Hanford shared their aspirations and experiences.

“My goal is to join a union—hopefully with the cement masons or carpenters,” said Ponce. “After learning from tradespeople, instructors, and business partners, I’ve gained a new perspective. I want to help build bridges, maybe even work on high-speed rail one day. Seeing the Hanford Viaduct under construction—it’s history in the making, and I want to be part of it.”

For Valdez, the program offered a new direction away from warehouse work and a chance to continue her grandfather’s legacy.

“He was a cement mason, and I used to help him,” Valdez said. “I like working with my hands—I’m not made for an office. I saw this opportunity and took it. My next step is getting a union job.”

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The CVTC provides students with exposure to 10 construction trades and hands-on training alongside journeymen in fields such as ironwork, carpentry, roofing, and masonry.

Graduates also earn industry certifications to aid their entry into the workforce.

The program is a collaboration among the Authority, the Fresno-Madera-Kings-Tulare Building Trades Council, Fresno Economic Development Corporation, Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission, and the City of Selma.

Progress on the high-speed rail project continues, with 171 miles under design and construction from Merced to Bakersfield.

Nearly 70 miles of guideway are complete, along with 55 structures, and 29 more are underway across Madera, Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties.

Since construction began, the project has created over 15,500 jobs, primarily filled by Central Valley residents, with up to 1,700 workers reporting to construction sites daily.