OAKLAND, CA — In a bold step toward expanding access to union careers, Laney College—part of the Peralta Community College District—is offering students a direct pathway into high-demand construction trades through a new pre-apprenticeship program. Developed in partnership with the Alameda County Building Trades Council (ACBTC) and the Construction Trades Workforce Initiative (CTWI), the program is already transforming lives and strengthening ties between education and labor.
Laney College mural students, under the guidance of instructor Fred Alvarado, have completed a bold and beautiful mural on the exterior of a District Service Center (DSC) building near the Laney football field. Located on 5th Avenue just west of East 8th Street, the once-plain structure now bursts with color, symbolism, and community pride—thanks to the vision and hard work of Alvarado’s students.

