SUSTAINABILITY ELEMENTS

Local Communities

Economic Viability

Efficient operations of all facilities, stimulation of local and regional economic growth, and generating economic value through employment and procurement practices.

LAWA engages and empowers local communities through youth outreach programs, aviation education, community service activities, and public-private partnerships.

LAWA provides employment and educational outreach services to local community-based organizations and residents through the Business and Job Resources Center (BJRC). LAWA’s commitment to advancing the well-being of all airport stakeholders, including surrounding communities, is evident from the broad range of programs and initiatives developed and implemented by LAWA. Examples of these programs are described below.

Performance Summary

The First Source Hiring Program made 67,674 referrals to companies doing business at LAX in 2016.


The Job Training Program referred 24 individuals, of which 8 completed training through the program in 2016.

In 2016, 44 students interned with LAWA through the Gateways Program.

~100 LAWA employees volunteered through the Team LAWA program in 2016. Team LAWA provides communities service through activities such as Dunes habitat restoration work, beach clean-ups, assisting participants in the L.A. Marathon, fundraising for March of Dimes, decorating floats for the New Year’s Day Rose Parade, and others.

Our Stories

First Source Hiring Program

The First Source Hiring Program (FSHP) is designed to provide residents from the communities immediately surrounding the airport and those most impacted by airport operations access to airport jobs. As a part of their contract, LAX contractors participate in the FSHP to post their jobs online. FSHP works closely with local community organizations, such as Work Source Centers, local colleges, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations to provide job notifications and trainings on how to apply for jobs on the website. In 2016, the program referred 67,674 job seekers to LAX jobs.

Job Training Program

LAWA, through its BJRC, leverages relationships with local government and community partners that are funded through other means to provide job training opportunities to residents living in communities impacted by airport operations. Currently, training topics include: computer technology, customer service, time management, retail sales, auto mechanics, leadership, and other disciplines. Upon the completion of training, these candidates are well-positioned to compete for job opportunities at the hotels or with various Airport employers. No LAWA or FAA funding is used for this program.

Gateways Program

Since its inception, the BJRC’s Gateways Program has placed more than 1,256 high school and college students primarily from the Los Angeles area in a wide range of paid and non-paid internship positions in LAWA offices, such as Airport Operations, Community Relations, Human Resources Services, Information Management and Technology, Public Relations, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) related. Interns receive on-the-job practical experience in the aviation field through education, training, and mentoring. The program helps LAWA fill positions with qualified employees throughout the organization.

Day of Discovery

Loyola University Marymount (LMU) and LAX co-hosted Day of Discovery – a community aviation and aerospace event in Fall 2015. More than 400 people attended the inaugural event, held in University Hall on the LMU campus, which gave the LAX community a chance to learn about exciting developments in aviation and aerospace. The event featured a booth expo comprised of museums, aviation schools, and aerospace companies. Capping off the event was a keynote address by General Kevin P. Chilton of Westchester, a retired Air Force four-star general who piloted the Space Shuttle Endeavour twice and was commander for the Atlantis Space Shuttle. General Chilton’s presentation included footage on how the Endeavour’s crew worked to repair an out-of-control satellite. He also shared the problems faced by the crew and how they overcame difficulties to make the missions successful.

National Read Across America Day

LAWA celebrated National Read Across America (RAA) Day by reading to students at Warren Lane Elementary School in Inglewood in 2016. RAA Day is a nationwide reading celebration that takes place annually on March 2—in honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Across the country, thousands of schools participate by bringing together kids, books, teachers, parents and volunteers. LAWA employees also read travel-related materials promoting the joys of reading.

LAMP Industry Forum

In February 2016, LAWA hosted an industry forum to present contracting opportunities and obtain industry input for the development and implementation of the Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP). Over 1,000 engineering, architecture, and construction management industry representatives attended the event. LAWA also did a significant amount of community outreach during the event. LAWA's Business and Job Resources Center (BJRC) and Procurement staff were available on-site to give participants information pertaining to working with LAWA and to answer any questions regarding Small Business Enterprise (SBE) certification. LAMP is expected to create many jobs across the greater Los Angeles region as it will be one of the largest capital improvement projects in the history of the City of Los Angeles.

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