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Ester Sandoval
Program Bay Area Program Coordinator

East Bay

My name is Ester Sandoval, Program Coordinator at Tradeswomen, Inc.  I’m a vet Journey Level Carpenter from the pre-apprenticeship-to-apprenticeship pipeline & proud union member.
I cover the Bay Area and I hold an Entry to Apprenticeship Workshop for Women on the 3rd Wednesday EVERY month at 6pm, sharp.
Check out our site’s events page to sign up for the next Bay Area Entry to Apprenticeship workshop and find your path in the construction industry, or sign up now.

Central Valley & Sacramento

My name is Salena, Program Coordinator at Tradeswomen, Inc.  I’m a vet Carpenter & Elevator Apprentice & proud union member.
I cover the Central Valley and I hold an Entry to Apprenticeship Workshop for Women on the 4th Thursday EVERY month at 6pm, sharp.
Check out our site’s events page to sign up for the next Bay Area Entry to Apprenticeship workshop and find your path in the construction industry, or sign up now.
Selena Durrell
Central Valley Program Coordinator
Jessica Fontenot
Program Coordinator

San Francisco and Peninsula

My name is Jessica Fontenot, Program Coordinator at Tradeswomen Inc. I am a construction workforce specialist with years of experience. I also anchor our auto mechanics, machinists, and utilities Entry partnerships.

I cover the Bay Area as well as skilled trades apprenticeships outside of construction. I hold an Entry to Apprenticeship Workshop for Women on the 3rd Wednesday EVERY month at 6 pm, sharp.

Check out our site’s events page to sign up for the next Bay Area Entry to Apprenticeship workshop and find your path in the construction industry, or sign up now.

At A Glance

Bay Area

Here is a list of ALL of the apprenticeship programs in the BAY AREA. Please note, this list isn’t the best resource for current apprenticeship openings. Check out our career board for current apprenticeship openings.

BAY AREA APPRENTICESHIPS

Central Valley

Here is a list of ALL of the apprenticeship programs in the CENTRAL VALLEY. Please note, this list isn’t the best resource for current apprenticeship openings. Check out our career board for current apprenticeship openings

CENTRAL VALLEY APPRENTICESHIPS

Ester Sandoval
East & North Bay Sr. Program Coordinator

Ester Sandoval is a Native of Chile, there she ran her first backyard clean-up crew with her 7 & 8 year old neighborhood friends. By the age of 9 she was running her own “handy” crew but it wasn’t until the age of 29 that she decided to pursuit her dreams, Carpentry. Ester is a Journey level Carpenter who has a passion for educating women in pursuing a career in construction. Ester loves riding her bike as well as tinkering with minor repairs, you will see her throughout the Bay Area cheerfully getting to places. 

EMAIL: ESandoval@Tradeswomen.org

Jessica Fontenot
SF & Peninsula Program Coordinator

Jessica Fontenot, is the SF & Peninsula Program Coordinator with Tradeswomen, Inc where she facilitates community engagement, coordinating workforce development opportunities, Outreach, Recruitment, Advocacy and frame work for women working in the non-traditional trades and blue collar careers.
Jessica has more than a decade of experience in leveraging public private partnerships through Community Outreach, Implementation of Public Relations Strategies, Stakeholder Engagement, Labor and contract compliance support and strengthen relationships between the community and public/private agencies.
Via a model that fosters public private Partnerships, Jessica has dedicated her career to advocating for resources and opportunities to remove barriers to gainful, sustainable employment for the residents of Southeast sector of San Francisco with a strong focus on the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhoods and West Bay communities.

EMAIL: JFontenot@Tradeswomen.org

Salena Durrell
Central Valley Program Coordinator

Salena Durrell, Central Valley Program Coordinator, joined Tradeswomen Inc. in June 2019 to cover the Fresno, Sacramento and Stockton areas. Originally from San Francisco has lived in Stockton for over 15 years where she attended Delta College. She got into the construction Trades in 2016 where she indentured as an apprentice with the Carpenters Local 152 and eventually the IUEC Local 8. In her time as an apprentice, she organized a successful meetup group event for Central Valley Tradeswomen, that was sponsored by the San Joaquin County Construction and Building Trades Council. She has always been an active member in her union, by attending meetings at her local and participating in city and state PLA hearings. In 2018 she testified in support of AB2358 that now is a law that prohibits harassment and discrimination of apprentices. She works closely with apprenticeship coordinators as she continues her passion of outreach and solidarity. In May of 2021, she became certified by North America's Building Trades Union as an MC3 Program Coordinator, and concurrently works with the North Valley Building Trades. In her free time she loves to listen to 80s/90s music with her daughter and go fishing.

EMAIL: SDurrell@Tradeswomen.org

Programs & Resources
East & North Bay

'Math For the Trades' Preparation

Real teachers assisting you with the trades in mind:

  • Liberty High School - continuous enrollment, online
    Class Days & Times: Tuesday & Thursday from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
  • Pittsburg Adult Education - continuous enrollment, online
    Class Days & Times: Tuesday & Thursday from 4:00–6:00 p.m.
  • Contra Costa College - continuous enrollment, online
    Class Days & Times: Monday & Wednesday from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
  • McClymonds High School - continuous enrollment, online
    Class Days & Times: Tuesday & Thursday from 5:00-7:30 p.m.

Online Preparation Resources

Algebra:

  • Kahn Acadamy*also has many other test prep subjects such as reading  comprehension 

Basic Math:

 Mechanical Aptitude: 

Spatial Reasoning:

Reading Comprehension and English as a Second Language

English Reading Comprehension:  

English as a Second Language:

  • Check your local adult school or community college for enrollment

GED/ High School Equivalency                     

  • Check your local adult school or community college for enrollment

Local Pre-Apprenticeship Programs & Apprenticeship Readiness Programs                 

Cypress Mandela Training Center - Oakland
Future Build - Pittsburg
North Bay TIP (Trades Introduction Program) - Program locations vary in the North Bay
RichmondBuild - Richmond; Facebook Group is more current than website.
Rising Sun Center for Opportunity - Oakland

Programs & Resources
San Francisco, Peninsula & South Bay Area

'Math For the Trades' Preparation

Real teachers assisting you with the trades in mind:

  • Liberty High School - continuous enrollment, online
    Class Days & Times: Tuesday & Thursday from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
  • Pittsburg Adult Education - continuous enrollment, online
    Class Days & Times: Tuesday & Thursday from 4:00–6:00 p.m.
  • Contra Costa College - continuous enrollment, online
    Class Days & Times: Monday & Wednesday from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
  • McClymonds High School - continuous enrollment, online
    Class Days & Times: Tuesday & Thursday from 5:00-7:30 p.m.

Online Preparation Resources

Algebra:

  • Kahn Acadamy*also has many other test prep subjects such as reading  comprehension 

Basic Math:

 Mechanical Aptitude: 

Spatial Reasoning:

Reading Comprehension and English as a Second Language

English Reading Comprehension:  

English as a Second Language:

  • Check your local adult school or community college for information on classes and enrollment.

GED/ High School Equivalency                     

TBD

Local Pre-Apprenticeship Programs & Apprenticeship Readiness Programs                 

Programs & Resources
Sacramento and Central Valley

'Math For the Trades' Preparation

Real teachers assisting you with the trades in mind:

  • Liberty High School - continuous enrollment, online
    Class Days & Times: Tuesday & Thursday from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
  • Pittsburg Adult Education - continuous enrollment, online
    Class Days & Times: Tuesday & Thursday from 4:00–6:00 p.m.
  • Contra Costa College - continuous enrollment, online
    Class Days & Times: Monday & Wednesday from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
  • McClymonds High School - continuous enrollment, online
    Class Days & Times: Tuesday & Thursday from 5:00-7:30 p.m.

Online Preparation Resources

Algebra:

  • Kahn Acadamy*also has many other test prep subjects such as reading  comprehension 

Basic Math:

 Mechanical Aptitude: 

Spatial Reasoning:

Reading Comprehension and English as a Second Language

English Reading Comprehension:  

English as a Second Language:

  • Check your local adult school or community college for information on classes and enrollment.

GED/ High School Equivalency                     

  • Check your local adult school or community college for information on classes and enrollment.

Local Pre-Apprenticeship Programs & Apprenticeship Readiness Programs