Build America unites county and city leaders, developers, contractors, workforce agencies, training partners and veterans, so the jobs from major development go to local residents and veterans, and projects move forward with community support.
Riverside County, CaliforniaSee why it matters 
Riverside County is entering a decade of major development: retail, housing, logistics and public infrastructure. Every project brings the same questions from residents and council members: Who gets the jobs? Can local workers fill them? Growth only strengthens a community when the people who live here can do the work close to home. No single agency or program can answer that alone.
As Empower America, we spent about ten years putting veterans to work on solar projects across five states, with developers, contractors, public agencies and training partners each playing a role.
On the first phase of the solar project that powers Apple's Reno data center, Empower America partnered with the general contractor and a workforce staffing partner on a commitment to hire 80% Nevada residents, with veterans hired first.
On a 16.4 MW rooftop solar project, the program brought together recruitment, apprenticeship training, City of Los Angeles workforce funding and the project's contractor, and trained 50 veterans in project management, roofing and electrical.
Now we're bringing that model home to something bigger: the retail, housing, logistics and public infrastructure reshaping Riverside County.
A coalition, not a committee: separate organizations, one shared goal, and one team that runs it project by project.
We track projects from planning approval, before construction hiring starts.
We work with the developer and contractor on the trades needed, the timing and local-hire goals.
We link local contractors, trained veterans and residents, training partners and workforce funding to the job.
Local hires, veterans placed and local contracting, in numbers you can take to council.
Project visibility, convening and public-sector coordination.
Recruitment, training and workforce-funding pathways.
Trusted outreach and a hiring pipeline.
Training capacity and credentials.
Hiring needs and project opportunities.
Resources and industry introductions.
Runs the partnership day to day, engages developers and contractors, and owns accountability.
Recruit, prepare and support the workforce.
Convenes the region, shares priorities and stands with us at launch.
No new program to run and no new staff required.
Local-hire results you can report to council
A ready-workforce story that helps attract employers and site selectors
Projects that arrive with a workforce plan and community support
Residents and veterans working close to home
Veterans lead: Riverside County is home to 109,216 of them. Behind them, our partners bring in community workforce candidates so every project can staff the whole job. We work with union and open-shop contractors alike.
We're meeting with regional leaders now.
Partners who join before launch help set the first priorities, including initiatives for their own cities.
We go public on Veterans Day.
Together, more than 25 years of experience in veteran workforce development, construction and public-private partnerships.
Built and led Empower America for more than a decade, putting veterans to work on solar projects across five states and working alongside developers, contractors, city leaders and workforce funders to turn local-hire commitments into real jobs.
Brings construction business development and large-project workforce staffing experience, including helping staff the workforce on Turquoise Solar in Reno.
We've sat on every side of the table: the contractor's, the city's and the job seeker's. That's how we know how to get them working together.
Let's talk about your city's project pipeline and workforce priorities, and where your organization fits.