A collaborative outreach initiative designed to promote community engagement, strengthen partnerships with local organizations, and empower the San Diego community.

Competitive Edge San Diego is a solution aimed to grow our business’s community engagement while simultaneously combating social inequities.

We provide a unique workforce opportunity that enriches opportunities for others. This initiative allows both our partnered companies and community to work side by
side to identify concerns that are sometimes overlooked in workforce development. SDCE’s mission is to implement a social responsibility to expand opportunities for those in our community that have faced cultural displacement.

About the program

Our Train-to-Hire Program is a 6-week, 224-hour trade-skills pre-apprenticeship designed to create career opportunities in the utility sector for San Diego residents aged 18 to 30. Each cohort consists of 20 carefully selected candidates.

Before each cohort begins, we conduct an analysis of our community’s demographics and collaborate with our Competitive Edge committee for targeted candidate recruitment. The committee actively engages with local faith-based organizations, community leaders, and peer-to-peer networks, leveraging the support of previous cohort graduates to identify future candidates.

The training curriculum combines hands-on and practical learning, including a weeklong intensive bootcamp, OSHA certifications, First Aid/ CPR, resume building, the development of interpersonal skills, and much more.

Participants receive a weekly stipend calculated at an hourly rate of $22, along with prepared meals for breakfast and lunch. They are also paired with mentors who provide guidance throughout the program.

After completing the program, the committee continues to support graduates with mentorship as needed, fostering steady career development and long-term success in the utility sector.

- Age 18 - 30
- Valid California Driver’s License
- San Diego Resident
- Must pass a Motor Vehicle Check
- Must pass multiple 5 Panel Drug Tests
Daily Safety / Tailboard Messages
- Introduction to the Utility Industry
- Introduction to the Construction Industry
- Introduction to the Trade Unions
- California Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA 10)
- OSHA 30
- Week Long Trade Skills Bootcamp
- Ethical Foundations: Mastering Integrity and Values
- HR Insights and Best Practices
- Financial Literacy ft. Financial Advisor
- Foundations Of Effective Leadership
- Time Management Essentials
- CPR/First Aid/AED Certification
- Mindfulness and Wellness For Success
- Resumes and LinkedIn Profiles for Success
- Responsible Social Media
- Safe Driving Course
- Fundamentals of Automotive Mechanics
- IT & Cybersecurity Essentials
- Conflict Resolution Fundamentals
San Diego Competitive Edge is a collaborative mission to strengthen and enhance both the retiring workforce and our social responsibility to our community; a collaborative mission ignited after a successful first cohort led in June 2022 , the second one held in June 2023, the third one held in June 2024 and currently working on developing the 2025 cohort. We look forward to managing one pre-apprenticeship cohort per year with the option to expand to many more.

“I joined the San Diego Competitive Edge program in 2023, during a time when I was ready to explore new career options. The program helped boost my confidence, especially as a woman entering a male-dominated field—and gave me the support and resources that I still lean on today. Since graduating, I’ve used what I learned in my role as a traffic controller. But what really stayed with me is the bond we all built. It’s like family—this is a forever kind of thing. I now have people I can reach out to, no matter what comes next. I’m so grateful.”

- Candace Harrell (Class of 2023)

What Our Participants Have To Say

"San Diego Competitive Edge Program was a great experience, I have learned a lot and had lots of fun engaging conversations with the instructors and people that were in the program. Thanks to the program I was given a head start into following my career path, and now I work at SDG&E, a company that is somewhat difficult to get in too. So overall I thank competitive edge, and I highly recommend this program"

-Charles Bryant. (Class of 2023)