California Awards $24.7 Million to Supercharge Apprenticeship Growth in New Industries

NEWS RELEASE

Sacramento -During the 10th Annual National Apprenticeship Week, the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and its Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) announced $24.7 million in funding awarded to 65 registered apprenticeship programs across key sectors, such as healthcare, transportation, education, advanced manufacturing, information technology, and the public sector.

What DIR Director Katie Hagen Said: "This investment reflects California's ongoing commitment to ensuring that our labor sectors have access to a steady pipeline of skilled talent, while also opening doors for many Californians to train for high-demand careers and earn a paycheck."

What DAS Deputy Chief Adele Burnes Said: "This a transformative effort that demonstrates how a 'Pay for Success' funding structure can lead to a significant expansion of apprenticeship opportunities across many sectors. Ultimately, this approach helps to build a stronger workforce, while driving innovation and growth."

This is the second round of Apprenticeship Innovation Funding (AIF), which helps foster economic growth by creating earn-and-learn pathways to meet current industry workforce demands. This funding will support 8,270 apprentices, who earn an average wage of nearly $32 per hour.

This week, DAS hosted a webinar titled "Funding the Future: Scaling Registered Apprenticeship in California." The event celebrated the successes of California's apprenticeship programs and emphasized their transformative impact. DAS Deputy Chief Burnes facilitated the webinar, which highlighted ongoing efforts to expand access to life-changing career opportunities by combining classroom instruction with paid, hands-on learning. The discussion also focused on removing barriers for women and underserved communities to advance a workforce that reflects California's diversity.

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Through this investment, California is proactively expanding apprenticeships in non-traditional sectors, such as technology, accounting, and healthcare. With the support of AIF funding, peace officer positions have been filled in the public sector, while counselors and bilingual teacher vacancies have been staffed in education. Additionally, in healthcare, apprenticeships have created a viable pathway for registered nurses, opticians, medical assistants and more.

Governor Newsom has identified apprenticeships as a core strategy to create jobs and address income inequality. The state set a goal to serve 500,000 apprentices by 2029. Thus far, 190,915 apprentices have been served as California continues to be the nation's leader in registered apprenticeships.

Approximately, $17 million was awarded during round one in December 2023. The third round of AIF funding will open for applications in the first quarter of 2025 to reimburse the costs of apprentices served in 2024.

To view the full list of all 65 AIF second-round awardees visit: Apprenticeship Innovation Funding (ca.gov)

DAS consults with employers to develop a skilled workforce, by establishing innovative apprenticeship programs that offer training to create viable career pathways for Californians.

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