Foothill College has received final approval from the California Community Colleges Board of Governors to offer a Bachelor of Science in Building Trades Management, creating a new pathway for registered apprentices and skilled trades workers to advance into leadership roles in California’s construction industry.
“One of the things that I think Foothill leads in the nation … is really breaking down this idea that you’re either a degree-seeking student or an apprentice,” said Dr. Kristina Whalen, president of Foothill College. “And that’s because most of our apprentices have the ability to also gain a college credential alongside the journey to becoming a journey worker.”
Phuong Tran, grant monitor for the college’s apprenticeship programs and one of the architects of the degree, said the idea grew from a lack of access to bachelor’s programs for tradespeople.
“There is no four-year degree offered to apprentices and journeypersons in the building industry in California,” Tran said. “We have seven CSUs in California that offer construction management, but there’s no direct access from individuals who completed the building trade program to a four year degree program direct access.”
Tran added that one of the benefits of the program is that it creates a seamless path to a degree so students “don’t need to redo any additional lower division courses to apply.” When the college submitted its application three years ago, Tran said roughly 15,000 active apprentices statewide – including electricians, plumbers, steam fitters, sheet metal workers and HVAC specialists – did not have access to an advanced degree.
The program is designed for students who are currently registered in apprenticeship programs. It builds on hands-on experience and provides pathways to project management and supervisory roles. Tran said the program will include instruction in communications, management, contract administration and labor law, as well as skills identified by employers as critical, such as virtual design in construction.
“It would be open to management, project management for individuals who want to transition from field work to office work and be a project lead or project manager in the industry,” Tran said.
Whalen said California’s investment in housing, infrastructure and climate-resilient construction has increased the demand for professionals with trade experience and formal management training.
“There’s this need for people with trade experience but have formal management experience,” she said.
Tran said the college engaged about 30 employers during development of the degree, all of whom submitted letters of support.
“If both tradesmen and … engineers can talk (in a) similar language … they will reduce the cost of labor, cost of materials, reduce mistakes in time,” Tran said. “We’re hoping this is going to reduce the barrier in communications … and put their trades, their occupations, on the map for the degree that they have earned.”
The approval process included negotiations with California State University programs to avoid duplication of coursework and ensure the degree addressed unmet workforce demand. Accreditation approval was received last September, and Foothill plans to complete curriculum approvals this fall. Officials expect to enroll the first class in 2028.
Currently, the college serves about 2,000 active building trades apprentices, and both Whalen and Tran said the degree is intended to expand opportunities for that population while supporting economic mobility and workforce innovation in the region.
The Building Trades Management degree will join three other bachelor’s programs offered within the Foothill-De Anza Community College District: Dental Hygiene and Respiratory Care at Foothill,and Automotive Technology Management at De Anza College.
