City Gets Grant for Tech Training

The city of Glendale will get a $3-million federal grant to train entertainment industry union workers for high-tech jobs and skills, the U.S. Department of Labor announced this week.

The grant will provide training to about 1,500 members of 20 entertainment industry unions who belong to the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts (IATSE).

The need for new training stems in part from the rise of digital technology, which is revolutionizing the film and entertainment industries. Digital animation, for example, is quickly supplanting hand-drawn cartoons.

To fill the need for skills training, union members had to rely on funds provided by the Contract Services Administration Trust Fund. Larger unions also turned to their own revenues, but smaller groups with little or no funds often suffered.

“There’s been more change in the past five years than in the last 80 to 100 years [in the industry],” said executive representative of scenic title and graphic artists union Gavin Koon. “And it’s been difficult for a lot of members who have not been able to keep up.”

According to Koon, entertainment companies are often apprehensive to fund expensive training programs. Film projects are generally limited in scope, and companies fear that employees may quit after being trained.

As a cheaper alternative, companies often turn to skilled foreign workers. Employers must pay a $500 fee for each foreigner they recruit, and these funds in turn are funding the job training program.

The $3-million Glendale grant will provide courses in technically advanced courses in digital editing, digital cameras, computerized lighting boards, graphic programming, computer animation and digital sound. More than 20 training providers have been designated as future training sites, which include the American Film Institute, Art Center College of Design, CalArts, UCLA, USC, Glendale Community College and Valley College.