Barger Champions Second Chances, Honors Flintridge Center’s 50th Apprenticeship Cohort

Supervisor Kathryn Barger poses alongside Flintridge Center’s Executive Director Josh McCurry and fellow team members during today’s Board of Supervisors Public Hearing meeting. (Photo credit: Martin Zamora/LA County).

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger today honored Pasadena’s  Flintridge Center, celebrating the graduation of the 50th cohort of its renowned Apprenticeship Preparation Program.

Supervisor Barger recognized the transformative impact of Flintridge Center’s 10‑week, 240‑hour training initiative that prepares formerly incarcerated individuals for sustainable careers in union construction trades. She also praised the program’s holistic approach and its partnership with organizations like 2nd Call and the LA/OC Building Trades.

“Flintridge Center doesn’t just train people for jobs,” stated Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “It restores hope and unlocks potential. When you see the faces of these graduates, you see proof that second chances change lives. Each graduate is building not only a new future for themselves, but also a stronger foundation for our entire community. As we recover from recent disasters and look to the future, these skilled men and women will help us rebuild, inspire, and thrive.”

Flintridge Center program participants in training and at work. (Photo credit: Flintridge Center)

Launched in 2008 to address a lack of career opportunities for those reentering society, Flintridge Center’s  Apprenticeship Preparation Program equips participants with hands‑on trade skills, interpersonal and financial management training, and an industry‑recognized Multi‑Craft Core Curriculum certification. Since its inception, 1,130 graduates have successfully completed the program, with 70% employed within a year and fewer than 10% returning to incarceration—a stark contrast to California’s 50% recidivism rate.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger shakes the hand of a graduate at Flintridge Center’s recent graduation ceremony at the Rose Bowl (Photo credit: Michael Owen Baker/LA County).

“It is truly humbling to be recognized today,” said Josh McCurry, Executive Director of the Flintridge Center. “Our work is never done in isolation—we stand on the shoulders of many community partners, including the County and the City of Pasadena. Reaching this important milestone is a testament of all of us working together. At our recent graduation ceremony, a mother told me she no longer has to worry about her son’s future and that she finally feels he will be okay. For her, that peace of mind was everything. That kind of lasting security is the greatest measure of our success.”

A proud program graduate holds his certificate at Flintridge Center’s graduation ceremony (Photo credit: Michael Owen Baker/LA County).

A proud family gathers with their graduate to celebrate at Flintridge Center’s graduation ceremony (Photo credit: Michael Owen Baker/LA County).

Flintridge Center program graduates clap and celebrate at their graduation ceremony (Photo credit: Michael Owen Baker/LA County).

The County of Los Angeles proudly invests in Flintridge Center’s mission through its Justice, Care, and Opportunities Department, Department of Youth Development, and Department of Economic Opportunity, ensuring that more residents have access to life‑changing opportunities.