Employment Training Panel awards $392,000 to Cover Technologies, Inc. to support workforce training following the devastating Los Angeles wildfires

SACRAMENTO – The California Employment Training Panel (ETP) approved $392,000 in funding to support worker training at Cover Technologies, Inc., a company rapidly rebuilding residential homes as the demand for their services more than tripled in the wake of the destructive LA County wildfires.

In April 2025, ETP reallocated up to $2.5 million in ETP Core Funds to support ETP contractors, including Cover Technologies, Inc., that were impacted by the LA County fires under the Rapid Employment Strategies Pilot on Natural Disasters (RESPOND) pilot program.

ETP’s support will fund employee upskilling and training in updated safety standards, technical troubleshooting, and process improvement workflows as well as other essential and advanced manufacturing skills for up to 70 newly hired and existing production technicians, install technicians, software engineers, manufacturing engineers, architects, and other administrative support positions.

Cover Technologies, Inc. has cut build time and waste by more than 50 percent through their fully integrated single-home and Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) panelized building system, custom design, engineering and permitting services, and wildfire-resistant prefabricated homes.

“ETP is proud to make this investment in Cover Technologies, Inc. and in the upskilling of manufacturers,” said ETP Executive Director Dr. Jessica Grimes. “These strategic workforce investments directly impact workforce employers and communities by supporting the jobs needed for the rebuilding efforts in Los Angeles County, and these funds ensure that our state’s economy remains robust with a workforce ready for the future.” 

What they are saying: “We are committed to building the highest quality homes and welcome the partnership with the Employment Training Panel to support the training of our workers.  This investment will enable our company to provide the most effective training for new and existing workers. We appreciate the opportunity to use ETP funding to expand our training plans to help grow our company and meet the needs of customers and communities across Southern California.” – Alexis Rivas, CEO, Cover Technologies, Inc.

To formally implement this rapid upskilling, the company has developed an extensive 200-hour Master Training Plan curriculum that standardizes how employees are trained, evaluated, and promoted. Cover Technologies recently completed the first homeowner rebuild in the Palisades region after the fire. With ETP support, the company will expand its training program to upskill additional workers and accelerate its impact.

City of Pacific Palisades, the neighborhood and project site for the Labella family home.

Used with permission of Cover Technologies, Inc. Credit: Cover Technologies, Inc.

Cover Technology workers manufacturing ceiling panels. 

Used with permission of Cover Technologies, Inc. Credit: Cover Technologies, Inc.

Project Photos used by permission: https://buildcover.com/projects/labella-home

ETP’s RESPOND program launched in April 2014 in response to a Governor-declared State of Emergency caused by extreme drought conditions. It has since evolved to support workforce training initiatives that address a broad range of natural disasters, including drought, fire, earthquakes, floods, major storms, and pandemics.

 

Employers have used RESPOND funding to:

• Train workers to restore properties to livable conditions after fire and smoke damage.
• Equip workers with drone and GIS mapping skills for land restoration and reseeding.
• Train crews for tree trimming and hazard tree removal to support utility site clearing.
• Provide essential job skills for workers entering the brush and tree clearance industry with contractors across the State.

 

The RESPOND program fosters economic resilience by building a trained workforce capable of responding to disasters at every phase, from mitigation and prevention to cleanup, structural recovery, and environmental restoration.

 

For more information about the ETP program, please visitwww.etp.ca.gov, or call (916) 737-4181, or contact Robert Meyer atRobert.meyer@etp.ca.gov.

 

In January, Governor Newsom announced the availability of more funding to help survivors access factory-built housing solutions that help speed rebuilding with options designed specifically for maintaining the unique character and style of neighborhoods recovering. Survivors can find factory-built options for faster rebuilding through the state’srebuilding tool launched in partnership with LA Rises.