Statewide Convening on Apprenticeship Pathways

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March 19, 2026

Wifi Network: Remington Hotels Wifi Password: meetings0124

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California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, Foundation for California Community Colleges, Rancho Santiago Community College District, LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network

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Presented by:

Apprenticeship Pathways�Demonstration Project

Welcome

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Michelle Vaughn-Lopez

Associate Director, Workforce Development

Foundation for California Community Colleges

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Housekeeping

• Restrooms: Located outside the Catalina Ballroom in the main foyer.
• Phones & Devices: Please silence or mute mobile devices during sessions.
• Parking: Please see the event registration desk for a parking pass.
• Agenda & Timing: Please reference your agenda for the event schedule and timing. Please help us stay on schedule by returning promptly during designated break times.
• Food & Beverages: Meals and refreshments will be available in the Fountain Terrace during designated break times.
• Accessibility & Accommodations: If you need accommodations or assistance, please visit the registration desk.

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Call to Action

Anthony Cordova

Vice Chancellor of Workforce and �Economic Development

California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

Gary Adams�Dean of Adult Education, Apprenticeship, �and Contract Education

California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

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Commitment to Apprenticeship

Adrienne C. Brown

Member of Board of Governors�California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

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Keynote Remarks

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Erica Johnson�Acting Deputy Administrator and Region VI Regional Director

US Department of Labor

Connection to State Vision

Marvin Martinez

Chancellor�Rancho Santiago Community College District

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Understanding the Challenge

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Gary Adams�Dean of Adult Education, Apprenticeship, �and Contract Education

California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

Dr. Sabrina Lopez�Apprenticeship Program Lead�California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

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Current State of Apprenticeships

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Expansion Opportunities

• Expanding Beyond Traditional Trades
• Growth of non-traditional apprenticeship pathways
• Community colleges are uniquely positioned to scale apprenticeship through credit and non-credit instruction
• Flexible program models support expansion:
• Hybrid and online related and supplemental instruction (RSI)
• Stackable credentials and degree pathways
• New industry sectors create opportunities for increased apprenticeship registration
• Innovation enables access for new employers and underserved communities
• Expanding partnerships with employers, workforce boards, and other community-based organizations

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Program Sustainability

• Integrate RSI funding and FTES apportionment where feasible
• Intentionally braid multiple funding sources to support program growth
• Funding Matrix
• Align apprenticeship instruction with credit pathways and degree programs
• Coordinate funding across departments to support instruction, student services, and more
• Sustainability comes from aligning apprenticeship funding with existing college funding structures.

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Apprenticeship Pathway and Funding Opportunities

Youth Apprentice​

Career Exploration and Readiness ​

Dual-enrolled 9th-12th graders undertake career exploration classes to discover which apprenticeship best fits their goals.​

California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program

Apprentice​

Extended Training and Instruction​

An apprenticeship is a paid job which offers hands-on work experience alongside off-the-job training and classroom instruction.​

California Apprenticeship Initiative New and Innovative Grant Program​

Apprenticeship Innovation Funding​

U.S. Department of Labor Grants​

Strong Workforce Program

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Pre-Apprentice​

Accelerated Training​

Registered pre-apprentice program must be formally associated with at least one DAS registered apprenticeship program sponsor.​

California Adult Education Program​

Strong Workforce Program​

Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006

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Program

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Funding

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Why Employer Input is Essential

• Employers define skill needs and workforce gaps
• Industry input ensures training aligns with real world requirements
• Employers can help provide input on curriculum design and competency standards
• Equipment and technology needs
• Strong employer partnerships support apprentice recruitment, work-based learning opportunities, and job placement
• Ongoing engagement allows programs to adapt quickly to changing industry needs
• Apprenticeships succeed when employers are co-designers and partners.

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Employer Barriers

What We Can Do to Address Employer Challenges

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• Simplify the process to for employers to start and participate in apprenticeship programs
• Provide technical assistance and program navigation
• Expand outreach to industries unfamiliar with apprenticeship
• Develop industry-driven apprenticeship models
• Offer flexible instruction formats (evening, hybrid, online RSI)
• Align apprenticeship with career pathways and credentials
• Support employers with intermediaries and regional partnerships

Barriers to Workforce Development

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• Persistent skilled worker shortages
• Difficulty recruiting and retaining talent
• Rapidly changing skill needs due to technology and automation
• Limited awareness of apprenticeship as a workforce solution
• Administrative and regulatory complexity when launching programs
• Concerns about training costs and staff capacity
• Competition for workers across industries

10 Minute Break

Break

Understanding the Labor Market Landscape

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Jesse Crete, Ed.D

Regional Director

Centers of Excellence

Orange County

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Shannon Moran

Regional Director

Centers of Excellence

Inland Empire�

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Jacob Poore

Regional Director

Centers of Excellence�South Central Coast�

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CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES STATEWIDE CONVENING ON APPRENTICESHIP PATHWAYS • MARCH 19, 2026

California's Next Decade of Work:

Drivers of Change and the Role of Apprenticeship

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Presented by COE Directors:

Jesse Crete, Ed.D. – Orange County

Shannon Moran, M.S.B.A – Inland Empire

Jacob Poore, M.I.A. – South Central Coast

Host Institutions:

• Shasta College
• Los Rios District
• Cabrillo College
• State Center District
• College of the Canyons
• Riverside District
• Mt. San Antonio College
• Rancho Santiago District
• MiraCosta College

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The Leading Source of Workforce Information�& Insight for California’s Community Colleges

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Workforce Demographics

& Labor Supply Transition

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Automation & Energy Transition

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Healthcare & Care Economy

Expansion

Why This Matters Now

California's community colleges sit at the center of the most consequential workforce transition in a generation. Numerous converging forces will reshape what jobs exist, who can fill them, and how workers are trained. We are focused on these three:

A demographic shift is thinning the labor supply — fewer workers entering as more leave

Technology is rewriting job requirements faster than traditional education can track

Care economy demand is surging just as the pipeline of trained workers dries up

Apprenticeship is not just an option — it is one of the most powerful tools California has to meet this moment.

SETTING THE STAGE

A Storm Has Been

Building for Decades

Lightcast's The Rising Storm (2024) and its January 2026 update document a perfect storm of converging labor market forces — ones that are already arriving.

CONDITIONS

Baby Boom workforce shaped a world of worker surplus

OUTER BANDS

2021–23: Great Resignation, labor shortages, wage pressure

LANDFALL

2025–2030: Acute shortages arrive across critical industries

"We are currently in the calm before the storm — and now is the time to prepare." — Lightcast, The Rising Storm (2024)

DRIVER 1 | Workforce Demographics & Labor Supply Transition

DRIVER 1 | THE SILVER TSUNAMI

Aging Workforce: Scale, Speed & Impact

76M

Baby Boomers

entering retirement

Now 60–80 years old

80%

of 5M workers who

left since 2020…

…were age 55+

61

Average U.S.

retirement age

Down — & early retirements rising

11,000

Americans turning

65 every day

2024–2027: all-time high pace

Why this wave is different:

Scale: No generation has retired at this speed or size. Wealth: Boomers hold 51% of all U.S. wealth — can afford early exit. �Cultural shift: Younger workers choose office/degree paths, not trades or services.

Source: Lightcast, The Rising Storm (2024)

DRIVER 1 | THE MATH PROBLEM

The Supply Gap: Population Is Growing, Workers Are Not

U.S. POPULATION GROWTH

18M

new people by 2032

Source: CBO / BLS

vs.

U.S. LABOR FORCE GROWTH

2.3M

net new workers by 2032

Source: BLS / Lightcast

Population will outpace labor force growth by nearly 8 to 1 — creating a deficit of ~6 million workers before the end of the decade.

ONE YEAR LATER | January 2026 Update

The Storm Is Accelerating

Lightcast's January 2026 update confirms the core findings of The Rising Storm — and introduces new urgency around key factors:

UPDATED

Immigration: The Buffer Is Shrinking

All labor force growth since 2019 came from foreign-born workers. Now, the Congressional Budget Office projects immigration falling from 3.3M in 2024 to just 1.1M/year through 2054 — compressing the one pipeline keeping the labor market afloat. The new result is that the population increase to 2034 is now projected to be just 8 million. (The original forecast was roughly 18 million!) When we apply labor force participation rates for these age cohorts to this number, we estimate net labor force growth to be around 3.5 million—or less.

UPDATED

Population Projections: Revised Downward

Updated projections show even slower population growth than originally forecast, meaning the 8-to-1 population-to-worker-growth ratio may worsen. Fewer young people are entering the workforce pipeline. There will be less than 2.4 people working for every person not working by 2034.

Core Narrative: Confirmed & Strengthened

Boomer retirements, declining birth rates, falling LFPR, and the degree-jobs mismatch all continue on trajectory. The structural nature of these shortages — not cyclical — is now beyond dispute.

Source: Lightcast, The Rising Storm: One Year Later (January 15, 2026)

DRIVER 1 | AI & AUTOMATION

"Won't AI Fix This?" — What Lightcast Actually Says

Lightcast conclusion: "The short answer is no. At least not anytime soon, and not in the sectors that need it most."

WHERE AI CAN HELP

Productivity gains for office/knowledge work (tech, finance, law)

Data analysis, coding assistance, document processing

Scheduling, logistics optimization — fewer admin workers needed

May modestly reduce white-collar demand over time

Tech sector: lower storm exposure

WHERE AI CANNOT HELP

Physical trades: AI can't swing a hammer, wire a building, or lay pipe

Bedside care: empathy, touch & clinical judgment can't be automated

Construction & infrastructure: embodied, site-specific, hands-on work

Food service, maintenance, emergency response — all require bodies

Healthcare & construction: Category 5 exposure

THE CRITICAL INSIGHT

The jobs AI threatens ≠ the jobs facing the worst shortages

Hardest-hit sectors — trades, care, services — are AI-resistant

Robotics in construction/healthcare is 10–20 years from scale

Even optimistic AI adoption won't offset a ~6M-worker deficit by 2030

AI & shortage are two separate crises

Source: Lightcast, The Rising Storm (2024), Ch. 3 "Non-Human Augmentation is Years Away from Effective Help"

DRIVER 1 | THE MISMATCH

Workers and Jobs Are Going in Different Directions

The Degree–Jobs Mismatch

Net new prime-age, non-bachelor’s degree workers (by 2032)

90K/yr

Currently 850k job openings in just 3 critical sectors: food industry, community service, and construction/home improvement

850K

⚡ 90,000 non-bachelor workers per year cannot fill 850,000 openings

Who's Missing?

~⅔ of HS grads go directly to 4-year college

9 of 10 top-posted jobs require NO degree

Women fill <2% of HVAC, plumbing, auto trades

Prime-age men leaving workforce (addiction, incarceration)

Foreign-born workers = ALL labor force growth since 2019

What California's workers need and what its employers need are both pointing toward structured, earn-and-learn models. �The fastest-growing & hardest-to-fill roles are in trades, healthcare, and infrastructure — precisely where apprenticeship delivers.

Sources: Lightcast, The Rising Storm (2024); BLS Occupational Projections

DRIVER 1 | THE CALIFORNIA LENS

What This Means for California

Aging Workforce

CA workforce is aging in parallel with national trends

Inland Empire & Central Valley face disproportionate replacement demand

Skilled trades retirement wave already impacting construction & utilities

Labor Supply Gaps

CA labor force growth lags population — low labor force participation rates persists

Foreign-born workers sustain CA industries; immigration policy risk rising

Healthcare, construction & public safety face compounding shortages

Policy Alignment

CA Job First Blueprint (2023): quality jobs & workforce mobility

CCC Vision 2030: expanding work-based learning

Both frameworks center apprenticeship as a structural solution

Sources: CA EDD Occupational Projections; CA DOF Population Projections; CA Job First Blueprint (2023); CCC Vision 2030 (July 2025)

DRIVER 1 | THE APPRENTICESHIP RESPONSE

Why Apprenticeship Is the Right Response to This Driver

UP NEXT → Driver 2: Automation & Energy Transition

The demographic storm is structural. Apprenticeship must be structural, too — embedded in systems, not just offered as a niche option.

Technology Transformation

Automation & Energy Transition

Statewide Convening on Apprenticeship Pathways · March 19, 2026

California Community Colleges

Energy Transition Meets Automation

California is navigating that storm PLUS two forces accelerating on a state policy timeline and every region is probably being impacted by both?

Electrifying transportation & buildings, and implementing an energy grid at scale

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AI-enabled systems, Automation, and robotics, transforming how industries operate

ENERGY DECARBONIZATION STRATEGIES

TECH & AUTOMATION

Where these two forces meet, a new kind of worker is emerging�Apprenticeship Sits Exactly at that Intersection

The Convergence Worker�Combining physical & professional with digital systems fluency. A worker who can do both

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State Strategy is Reshaping the Workforce

What It Looks Like in the Labor Force

CA Climate Plan; Carbon Neutrality by 2045

• 29% energy workforce growth since 2016; 2X rate of all CA jobs
• 545,000 CA clean energy jobs; growing 3X faster than state economy
• CA goal of 6m heat pumps & 1m Electric Vehicles chargers by 2030
• +124% Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Installer Job growth since 2019

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VISION 2030

• 44,344 open Cyber Security jobs in CA; ~ 63,000 professional shortage
• 39% of key job skills will change by 2030; tech and AI literacy growing faster than any other skill category
• California accounts for 15% of all US AI job postings
• ~49% of all growing skills in ECU & Advanced Manufacturing are now technical or specialized

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State Economic Blueprint/Regional Plans

Sources: E2 Clean Jobs California (2025) | PPIC CA Energy Workforce (2024) |CA Energy Commission, AB 2127 Assessment (2023)| CyberSeek/NIST (2025) | COE IED ECU Skills Analysis (2025) | Stanford AI Index (2025)

ENERGY DECARBONIZATION STRATEGIES

TECH & AUTOMATION

The Build-Out Is Already Underway

These are active employer activities showing up in the job postings across California right now

• Utilities deploying smart grid infrastructure across CA
• Contractors installing solar, heat pumps & EV charging at scale
• Desert renewable buildout active; Inland Empire leads state in utility-scale solar
• Fleet electrification underway across public agencies & logistics

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• Warehouses deploying robotics & automated picking systems
• Grid operators deploying AI & Internet of Things (IoT) to monitor, predict and optimize energy flows
• Manufacturers implementing AI-driven predictive maintenance across production systems
• Cybersecurity teams building Operation Technology/Information Technology (OT/IT) defenses across critical infrastructure

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ENERGY DECARBONIZATION

TECH & AUTOMATION

The Workforce Signals Are Already There

CA Occupational Data – where two threads are pulling toward the same worker

ENERGY DECARBONIZATION

TECH & AUTOMATION

The fastest-growing jobs span both clusters.�Part electrician. Part systems technician. Part digital operator. That’s the new worker.

Sources: CA EDD Occupational Projections (2024) | CyberSeek (2025) | COE IED ECU Skills Analysis (2025)

The New Kind of Worker is Emerging

At the Intersection of two forces, a new worker is emerging

This worker doesn’t exist at scale yet.�That’s not a problem. That’s the opportunity.

The Workforce Imperative

Tech Transformation & Energy Transition = A Market-Informed Opportunity

The Transformation is Structural.�The training pathways must be, too.

The Research Has To Transform, Too

COE + Colleges + LAUNCH + Employers → A Continuous Intelligence Loop

The signals are there.�Let’s build from them together.

A CONTINUOUS LOOP

COE reads signals →

Colleges + LAUNCH build programs →

practice informs research

Sources: America Cannot Withstand the Economic Shock that’s Coming.— New York Times Opinion, March 6, 2026)

EMPLOYERS

California's Next Decade of Work

Healthcare and

Care Economy

Expansion

Statewide Convening on Apprenticeship Pathways · March 19, 2026

California Community Colleges

The Demographic Shift Driving This Moment

PPIC, California's Aging Population (January 2025)

59%

Growth in CA adults 65+

5.7M → 9M by 2040

22%

Share of Californians 65+ by 2040

Up from 14% in 2020

38:100

Old-age dependency ratio

Older adults per 100 working-age adults (up from 24)

1 in 3

Adults 80+ needing home assistance

1 in 5 will face self-care limitations

What this means for the workforce:

Only 5% of CA’s health professions workforce is certified in geriatrics — demand is vastly outpacing supply (PPIC / CA Master Plan for Aging). Home health and personal care aide jobs are projected to grow 29% by 2030 — to nearly 1 million jobs — the fastest-growing occupational category in the state (PPIC, California's Care Workforce, 2024).

Sources: PPIC, California's Aging Population (Jan. 2025) | PPIC, California's Care Workforce (Apr. 2024) | CA Master Plan for Aging, Goal 2: Health Reimagined

Post-2030: Rapid 65+ Population Growth

Source: California Department of Finance Population Estimates and Projections

Age Pyramid Gets Top Heavy

Source: California Department of Finance Population Estimates and Projections

Four Core Forces Shaping This Driver

1. Aging Population

By 2040, CA will have 3.4M more adults 65+ and 1.7M fewer residents under 65. Over 2.3M Californians will be 80+ by 2030 — a 48% increase from 2020, many needing assistance with daily living.

2. Community-Based Care Expansion

Medi-Cal and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) are primary vehicles for home- and community-based services. Despite a 51% increase in older adults in institutional settings, only ~3% of the total older population is expected to live in such facilities — the vast majority will age at home.

3. Workforce Shortages Across the Board

California needs 500,000+ new allied health professionals (CA Hospital Association). About two-thirds of current personal care and home health aides are over 40; nearly 40% are over 55 — a retirement cliff is approaching (PPIC Care Workforce, 2024).

4. Demand for Supervisory & Coordination Roles

Integrated care delivery is expanding, with growing need for care coordinators, community health workers, and health services supervisors — roles that bridge clinical and community systems and require both technical and interpersonal expertise.

Sources: PPIC Aging Population (2025) | PPIC Care Workforce (2024) | CA Hospital Association | CA Master Plan for Aging

POLICY

ALIGNMENT

Two major state frameworks directly create demand for apprenticeship and work-based learning in health and care occupations.

Both plans name community colleges as a critical delivery partner.

California Master Plan for Aging (MPA)

10-year blueprint through 2030

• Goal: Create 1 million high-quality caregiving jobs
• "Caregiving That Works" — one of 5 bold goals, targeting direct care workforce expansion
• Advances home & community-based services (HCBS) as primary care delivery model
• Only ~5% of CA providers have geriatric certification — MPA calls for urgent workforce pipeline development
• Expanding IHSS; building culturally competent & linguistically diverse workforce

Vision 2030 — California Community Colleges

Strategic plan for student success

• Names healthcare as a priority industry for career pathways and apprenticeship expansion
• Supports earn-and-learn models aligned with California Apprenticeship Initiative (CAI)
• Goal: 500,000 registered apprentices by 2029 — healthcare among targeted sectors
• Apprenticeship Pathways Demonstration Project connecting credit credentials to apprenticeship
• Community colleges: primary pipeline for CNA, MA, LVN, community health worker training

Sources: CA Master Plan for Aging (aging.ca.gov) | CA Community Colleges Vision 2030 | CA Apprenticeship Initiative

Industry Manifestations: Where the Growth Is Happening

PPIC, CA's Care Workforce (2024) | HCAI Behavioral Health Workforce Strategy (2024) | CA Hospital Association

Home- & Community-Based Services

29% growth in home health & personal care aide jobs by 2030

• Nearly 1 million home health jobs projected by 2030 (PPIC)
• IHSS expanding; Medi-Cal primary funder of long-term care
• Over 30% of Medicaid spending nationwide is long-term care — growing with aging
• Community Care Expansion Program investing in HCBS infrastructure

Clinical Support Occupations

CA needs 500,000+ new allied health professionals

• Medical assisting enrollment up ~40% at community colleges (PPIC, 2024)
• CNA & EMT programs enrollment up ~30% — but more is needed
• More than 22% of Californians live in primary care shortage areas (CHA)
• LVN programs declining in enrollment despite ongoing demand

Behavioral Health & Care Coordination

Proposition 1 (2024) — largest behavioral health investment in CA history

• Workforce under significant pressure: burnout, maldistribution, lack of diversity (HCAI, 2024)
• 690,000 Californians 65+ living with Alzheimer's; demand for dementia-trained workers rising
• Care coordinators & community health workers bridging medical and social needs
• Over 40% of older CA adults will be foreign-born by 2040 — requiring culturally competent care

Sources: PPIC Care Workforce (2024) | HCAI Behavioral Health Workforce Strategy (2024) | CA Hospital Association | CA Master Plan for Aging

Care Economy Workforce Projections: 2025 vs. 2035

2025 Jobs

2035 Projected

% Growth

Home Health & Personal Care Aides

1.04M

1.32M

+27%

+281K

Nursing Assistants

113K

130K

+15%

+17K

Medical Assistants

113K

130K

+15%

+17K

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

83K

93K

+12%

+10K

Social & Human Service Assistants

63K

74K

+17%

+11K

Emergency Medical Technicians

20K

23K

+16%

+3K

Community Health Workers

10K

11K

+17%

+2K

Total Jobs (2025)

1,439,948

Total Jobs (2035)

1,780,548

Net New Jobs

+340,600

Source: COE Analysis of Lightcast 2025.3 Data

Healthcare & Care Economy Expansion: A System-Level Opportunity

Train the Workforce

California Community Colleges are the primary pipeline for CNAs, MAs, LVNs, and community health workers. PPIC identifies community colleges as critical to meeting CA's care worker shortage. Enrollment in health programs is rising — scale must follow.

Build Career Ladders

Apprenticeship models in healthcare create earn-and-learn paths from entry-level care to supervisory and coordination roles. The CA Apprenticeship Initiative (CAI) is funding new healthcare apprenticeship programs at scale.

Reflect the Diversity of Care

By 2040, 40%+ of older CA adults will be foreign-born; 75% will speak a language other than English. A culturally and linguistically competent workforce that will be largely trained at community colleges.

California cannot meet its care economy workforce needs without California's community colleges — apprenticeship is the bridge from training to livable-wage employment.

Demographics: Train, Address Supply-Demand Mismatch, Engage Missing Labor Force

• The labor supply is contracting structurally — Boomer retirements, low birth rates, falling participation rates, and immigration headwinds all point the same direction.
• Available workers are mismatched with the most in demand jobs — and AI will not bridge that gap for the sectors hit hardest: trades, healthcare, and infrastructure.

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Convergence Workers: Train, Map Pathways, and Deliver at Scale

• Trades and digital systems are converging. CA needs workers that can do both.
• There were only 1,762 non-traditional completions in 2023. The gap to 500,000 apprenticeships is the opportunity.
• Community Colleges are built to deliver with earn-and-learn infrastructure.

Health and Care Economy: Train, Build Career Ladders, Reflect Diversity

• Gaps for health and care economy will continue to grow due to CA’s aging population.
• California Community Colleges are the primary pipeline for health care workers.
• Apprenticeship models in healthcare create earn-and-learn paths from entry-level care to supervisory and coordination roles.

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California Community Colleges have the mission and tools to be the solution to these challenges. �Apprenticeship is the fastest bridge from where we are to where we need to be.

The Community College Imperative

For more COE Resources, visit the COE website�coeccc.net

Thank You!

Jesse Crete, Ed. D.

Director, Orange County Region

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Shannon Moran, M.S.B.A

Director, Inland Empire/Desert Region

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Jacob Poore, M.I.A

Director, South Central Coast Region

Apprenticeship: Faculty & Curricular Considerations

Craig Rutan

Faculty Liaison, Apprenticeship Pathways

Demonstration Project and Professor of Physics and Engineering

Santiago Canyon College

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Apprenticeship Program Standards

• Aspects of an apprenticeship program must be submitted, reviewed, and approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards to have a fully approved apprenticeship program.
• The standards for an apprenticeship program include:

• Details of the instruction and the on-the-job training completed by apprentices (how many hours are required to acquire necessary skills)

• An educational partner to provide the required classroom instruction

• Criteria for selecting apprentices (apprenticeship programs are not open access)

• Wages paid to apprentices and wage increases tied to skills improvement

• How apprentices advance to the next level in their program

• Program completion requirements

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Aligning with Vision 2030

• Colleges are not required to create courses to collected related and supplemental instruction (RSI) funding, FTES funded apprenticeship programs must have apprentices enrolling in approved courses.
• The Chancellor wants every apprentice in the CCCs to earn college credit and have a pathway to Certificates of Achievement, Associate Degrees, and Baccalaureate Degrees
• The development of apprenticeship courses may differ if you have a traditional versus a non traditional program.

Apprenticeship Instruction

• If your college is building courses for only apprentices (SAM A), you have the option to use the apprenticeship minimum qualifications. The minimum qualifications for instructors in apprenticeship programs are outlined in §53413 of the California Code of Regulations

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• If your college is using existing courses (SAM C or B), then you would use the minimum qualifications from the Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in the California Community Colleges

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Course Considerations - SAM A

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Advantages:

• Courses are restricted to registered apprentices and can be coded to not charge fees in local ERP
• Apprenticeship courses are easily tracked locally and at state level
• Eligible to use apprenticeship minimum qualifications in Title 5, §53413
• Building of local metrics can be done using only courses

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Disadvantages:

• Increased number of courses in the college catalog
• Need to complete program review, SLO assessment and course review for all of these courses
• Minimum qualifications may not align between apprenticeship courses and existing career education courses

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Course Considerations - SAM B or C

Advantages

• Can use existing college courses
• Mixed enrollments reduce the chances of course cancellation
• No issues with SLO assessment or program review�

Disadvantages

• Apprenticeship metrics will need to be built using SB23 or an internal code in your ERP
• Cannot use apprenticeship minimum qualifications
• May need to cover material which is not applicable to the apprenticeship

State Level Coding of Students

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• SB 23 is used to code students that are part of an approved pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship program
• Code Value = 0: NOT registered with the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) or participating in a pre-apprenticeship program approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards through a Memorandum of Understanding
• Code Value = 1: Registered with the DIR an approved apprenticeship program
• Code Value = 2: Participating in a pre-apprenticeship program approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards through a Memorandum of Understanding

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Reminders with SB23

• Many colleges begin enrolling apprentices prior to receiving approval from DAS
• Until students are a registered apprentice with DAS, SB23 should be 0, but the intent is to using SB23 = 1
• The Chancellor’s Office often must look backwards at what students have done when they receive records from DAS

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Certificates of Achievement vs. Local Certificates

• A Certificate of Achievement is any certificate program that has been approved by the Chancellor’s Office.
• Completion of Certificates of Achievement count towards the performance metrics in the Student Centered Funding Formula (SCFF)
• Complete apprenticeship program will normally be more than 16 semester units, so a Certificate of Completion would be the only option
• Colleges can choose whether they create multiple stacking certificates that lead to the full certificate, but the students only get certificate credit in SCFF once per year and only for Certificates of Achievement

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Associate of Science Degrees

• Colleges can develop Associate of Science degrees for their apprenticeship programs.
• The degree must include 60 semester units, a minimum of 18 semester units in the major (likely the same courses as the Certificate of Achievement for the complete program), and a minimum of 21 semester units of general education.
• The requirements for associate degrees are outlined in §55061 of Title 5
• Associate degree completion also counts for the SCFF, but only the highest point total for degrees and certificates is used for each student

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Baccalaureate Degrees

• Many areas for apprenticeship could also lead to baccalaureate degrees
• If the degree would be at a university, you should work with your articulation officer to establish course to course articulation for apprenticeship courses
• If you are creating a community college baccalaureate degree, make sure that your current associate degree and the associate degree for the apprenticeship program align so both groups of students would be ready to begin the third year of the program.

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Questions?

Lunch

Return at 12:40

Campus-Level Decision Making on Program Creation

Elizabeth Arteaga�Dean of Apprenticeship Programs

Santiago Canyon College

Jeffrey Pallin�Dean, Workforce Innovation�Mission College

Annabelle Nery, Ph.D.�President�Santa Ana College

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Traditional Apprenticeship Models�Cerritos College, Field Ironworkers Pathway

Graciela Vasquez, Ed.D.

Instructional Dean, Continuing Education

Cerritos College

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Jennifer Nieto

Program Facilitator, �Apprenticeship

Cerritos College

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Brad Huth�Apprenticeship Coordinator

416/433 Field Ironworkers

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Background & History

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• Field Ironworkers & Cerritos College
• Over 30 year partnership
• Two Unions 416 Reinforcing & 433 Structural �
• From 2018 - 2025 Number of Indentured Apprentices
• Local 416 Reinforcing: 4,787 apprentices
• Local 433 Structural: 7,327 apprentices

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• Certificate of Achievement - Four year program (OJT)
• Field Ironworkers: Reinforcing
• Field Ironworkers: Structural

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• Associate of Science
• Field Ironworkers - Approved 2018

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• Bachelor’s of Science
• In Field Ironworker Supervision (FIS) - Approved 2026

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The Need & Industry Support

• The Job
• The Workforce
• The Education & Training
• The Industry Need
• The Leadership: A Bachelor's Degree in Field Ironworker Supervision

The Student Journey

• Student Onboarding
• Introduction to Cerritos College
• Student Surveying

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• Credit For Prior Learning
• Guided Process
• CPL Courses

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• Counseling
• Student Educational Plan (SEP)
• Recommend Courses/Schedule

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• Cohort-Based Model
• Group Students
• Mentorship (Instructors and Peers)

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Impact of Reimagining Traditional Trades

• Industry Impact: Associates to Bachelors pathway
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• College Going Impact: Increased awareness of working adults and barriers
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• Community Impact: Apprentices pursuing higher education for their families, role modeling, and mentorship
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• Equity Impact: Breaking down barriers for women
• ERiCA: Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship

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“For me, this trade is about proving that we belong here. It is about building something solid, not just in steel, but in our future.” -Sarah Hansford, LU433, Ironworker

The Opportunity

Thank you

Contact Information

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Continuing Education -CE 13

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apprenticeship@cerritos.edu

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(562)860-2451 Ext. 2496

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Nontraditional Apprenticeship Models

Natalie Weaver�Director of Partnerships & Programs

LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network

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Deanna Krehbiel�Executive Director, Economic Development & Corporate Training�Contract Education TAP��

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Annie Rafferty�Director, Workforce Training and Development�Contract Education TAP

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What are Non-Traditional Apprenticeship Programs?

• In 2018, AB235 established the Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (IACA)
• DAS Chief has authority over non-building and non-firefighter trades for apprenticeship programs, standards, and agreements, as well as pre-apprenticeship, certification, and on-the-job training and retraining programs
• California Community Colleges definition:
• New and innovative apprenticeship programs in priority and emerging industry sectors or areas in which apprenticeship training is not fully established or does not exist
• Sectors other than the building, construction, and fire trades

Non-Traditional Apprenticeship Model Considerations

Industry Sectors

RAP Management & Administration

Training and Instruction

Apprentice On-the-Job Entry Points

Example: CVS Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship

Example: Cabrillo College Apprenticeship

Example: Chaffey College InTech Center Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship Models: What to Consider

• One size doesn’t fit all – multiple modalities to fit your needs
• Industry Sector: Regional priorities and industry demand
• What is your college’s capacity for apprenticeship management and administration?
• How can you make apprenticeship accessible to students and employers?

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Contact Information

Natalie Weaver

Director, Programs & Projects

LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network

Natalie@launchapprenticeship.org

Not-for-Credit Benefits for Apprenticeship Models

• Innovate, incubate, validate and beta test new classes/programs
• Rapid response
• Flexible and accelerated models
• Research and development
• Industry driven and collaboration
• Customizable
• Can focus on a specific business or population
• Startup for pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeships

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Priority Industries

Contract Education: Ed Code

• Title 5, Section 55170, Education Code 78020-78022
• 78020 – Delivery of (a) Credit (b) NonCredit (c) Not For Credit
• 78021 - (b) Cost Recovery (public or private entity) �and do not collect FTE Apportionment
• 78022 – Faculty (Not For Credit, does not count against load)
• 76300 (e)(3) – Enrollment fees do not apply to contract education programs if the full cost of instruction is paid by a public or private agency.
• CCR, Title 5, §55170 – Students can earn unit credits on work completed through contract education

Funding Methods

• Employer Contract
• Key Stakeholder partner - pay wages during training, work experience
• Strong Workforce Programs
• Workforce Development Board
• Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL)�
• Grants
• Seed funding for developing and piloting training
• Employment Training Panel (ETP)
• Start by partnering with a college experienced in ETP funding

Why This Matters Now

Identifying Not-for-Credit (NFC) Programs Poised for Apprenticeship Pathways

• Access to existing NFC programs & 3,500+ already engaged employer relationships
• Employer-aligned training Pathways for Students
• Create NFC pathways as an on-ramp to pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship

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Measurable Workforce Outcomes

• Expand the LAUNCH Network with 1,000 workers by December 2026
• Measure NFC 34% average wage increase and 90-day retention benchmarks�with pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship outcomes

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Strategic Priorities

• Statewide ecosystem mapping & capacity assessment
• NFC → Pre-Apprenticeship → Apprenticeship qualification guide
• Employer network expansion & LAUNCH alignment
• Business performance consulting workshops- Positions colleges as performance consultants to industry
• MIS integration for standardized data collection and outcome reporting

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Call for Action

Programs in Discovery Phase

• Path Builder Administrative Staff
• MC3 Apprenticeship Readiness Building Trades
• Utility Line Clearance Arborist
• Advanced Manufacturing Industrial Maintenance

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Call for Action

• Collaborate with NFC TAPs
• Sign up for NFC Building Performance workshops
• Sign up for the Contract Education 101 workshops
• Complete the QR code survey

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Contact Information

Annie Rafferty

raffertyan@butte.edu

530-879-4350

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Deanna Krehbiel

dkrehbiel@sbccd.edu

909-382-4066

10 Minute Break

Break

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)

Sam Lee

Senior Advisor to the Chancellor, California Community Colleges, Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)

Mapping Articulated Pathways

Pinch Hitting for Dr. Crystal Nasio Director of Operations and CTE CPL

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CalJAC Apprentices and Veterans Awarded 38.5 units toward AS Paramedic & BA Pathway (2+2)

CPL recognizes what working adults, apprentices, and veterans already know from jobs, military service, and professional training and translates their expertise into real college credit. ��Learning associated with CPL can be acquired in a variety of settings:

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My CPL Story

https://map.rccd.edu/cplstories/

California’s New CPL Infrastructure has a student-first strategy:�People, Platform, Policy/Procedure�Moving From…�

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Passive to Proactive�Ghost Credit to Most Credit�Siloed to Shared Data�College to Career�

How Californians Access CPL

• College CPL Landing Pages, CPL Dashboard, CPL Portfolio Builder (soon)
• Program Pathways Mapper & CVC Courses (soon)
• College Outreach
• Counselor Screening on Admission (think AP)
• Soon: LWDA and Agency Integrations, CA Credential Registry, CCCApply, Career Passport, Assist, ACE Talent Marketplace, etc.

MAP Website: https://map.rccd.edu/

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Vision 2030: Scale & Projected Impact

250,000

Californians targeted for CPL by 2030

(Base Goal)

500,000

Stretch Goal —

doubling the base target

6.5M

Californians who could benefit

with optimal CPL capacity

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CCC Campuses with

access to MAP at no cost

Projected Economic Impact of Meeting Vision 2030 Goals (Beacon Economics, June 2024)

$32.5B

Projected combined economic impact

of meeting 2030 base goal

$3.7B

Immediate savings and

preservation of educational funds

$28.8B

Long-term economic benefits

over 20 years

$1.6B

Impact if Veterans Sprint

Phase 1 goal is met (30,000 vets)

California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office | CPL Initiative

Progress | CPL impact

Source: CPL dashboard, MAP initiative.

Eligible units

Trascribed units

Savings

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96K (2.2 avg)

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$267M (2.2 avg)

Students served

191K (4.5 avg)

42,756

Current projected economic impact

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$1.08B

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116 College CPL Landing Pages�Soon: Scores of Noncredit, Adult Ed, HS, & Agency Pages

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Find CPL at Your College

https://map.rccd.edu/cpllandingpages/

CPL Dashboard

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https://cpldashboardcccco.azurewebsites.net/insights/dashboard

CPL Visibility and Integration: PPM, CVC

Academic Planning Tools

Integrations: Program Pathways Mapper

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Integrations: California Virtual Campus

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In Development

CPL Student Portal - April Release

Who Might be Eligible for CPL?

• Current apprentices based on advanced placement or certifications
• Journey Workers regardless of credit
• Pre-Apprentices regardless of credit
• Trade Partner Trainees

Apprenticeship Outreach

Pre-Apprentice

Regional Prep

Curriculum

Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3)

Key Components

OSHA-10 Safety Certification

Trade Math & Blueprint Reading

Tool Handling & Career Readiness

Provider

Building Trades/Workforce Boards

Prepares for IBEW Selection

Apprentice

IBEW Local 428

Structure

5 Years | 8,000 OJT Hrs | 1,000+ Class Hrs

Partnership

Sponsor Bakersfield College

RSI Transcribed as College Credit

Associate

Bakersfield College

Program

AS in Industrial Automation

Stackable Content

Apprenticeship RSI credits (CPL)

DC/AC Circuits & Motors

Programmable Logic Controllers

Instrumentation & Process Control

Outcome

Certificate of Achievement + AS Degree

Bachelor

Bakersfield College

Degree

BS in Industrial Automation

Advanced Coursework

Industrial Networks & Robotics

Project & Safety Management

Quality Assurance

Outcome

Technical Leadership

~100% Employment / $80k Avg. Salary

IBEW 428 / Bakersfield College (Example)

Pathway Overview: EMS Corps → Fire → Bachelor's

A Realistic Student Journey Leveraging Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)

The CPL Advantage

By awarding credit for EMT certification and Fire Academy training, students can bypass redundant coursework and accelerate their degree path. This momentum is critical for working adults in the fire service.

Wraparound Support

Programs like EMS Corps provide essential stipends, life coaching, and career workshops that help underrepresented youth successfully transition into rigorous Fire Academies and apprenticeships.

HS / Adult Ed / EMS Corps

5-month paid program (Alameda Co.) with EMT prep & mentoring

EMT Certification + CPL

NREMT/State Registry. Credit awarded for EMT/CPR skills.

CPL Point

Firefighter Academy

Accredited Firefighter 1 Academy (e.g., SD Miramar)

Cal-JAC Apprenticeship

Earn & Learn model. Department-sponsored training.

Bachelor's Degree

Public Safety Management (SD Miramar) or Fire Tech

Pathway Overview: Auto Tech → Bachelor's

Realistic Student Journey Leveraging CPL Articulation, Pre-Apprenticeship, and ASE Certification

Multiple On-Ramps

Students can enter from HS/ROP articulation or adult education. The CCSF Pre-Apprenticeship acts as a critical bridge, offering credit-bearing coursework that accelerates entry into employment and degree pathways.

ASE Certification Value

While pre-apprenticeship builds fundamental skills, ASE certifications earned during employment can be leveraged for Credit for Prior Learning (CPL), satisfying specific course requirements in the BS degree program.

HS / ROP Auto Tech

Articulated coursework via district crosswalks Cx or ASE Certs

Pre-Apprentice (CCSF)

18-week, 40hr/wk program at Evans Center. Credit-bearing.

CPL Point

Employment & AS Degree

Stackable certificates + Associate Degree in Auto Tech

ASE Certifications

Industry credentials awarded CPL for advanced standing

ASE CPL

BS Automotive Tech

Rio Hondo College Bachelor's Degree Program

Apprenticeship CPL is an Opportunity

Apprenticeship CPL is not only for Colleges with credit bearing Apprenticeship Programs.

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1. Offer trainees credit to encourage enrollment into college certificate and degree programs.
2. Strengthen partnerships with employers.
3. Review of worker experience for credit consideration will be standardized.

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Apprenticeship CPL Scaling Plans

1. Upload all apprenticeship students into MAP CPL Dashboard (Sprint 1)​​
2. Target and document apprenticeship coursework for articulation in MAP. (Sprint 2)​​
3. Outreach to apprenticeship students, employers, organizations and training centers that could benefit from CPL. ​

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February 2026 - Labor Day 2026

Goal: Collect from DAS, COMIS, CCCApply list of all CCC apprentices by college, trade, LEA, CPL awards AND upload to MAP to make apprentices visible throughout state:​

• SAM Code A, DAS Approved Programs, Traditional and Nontraditional​, Noncredit and Contract Ed​​

Outcome: Real-time progress of apprenticeship students to understand opportunities for growth and collaboration.

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Industry Embracing CPL

Santiago Canyon and Norco College AI Tools –Skills to Course, Degree Audit, Outreach

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AI Enhanced Skills Crosswalks

• Expanding on the work SCC has already started
• Pilot at SCC and NC to develop:
• AI Engine that assists in the evaluation of skills for course credit
• Apprenticeship degree audit to improve completion and ease A&R burden
• Outreach to regional journey workers with CPL offers
• Resulting in skill to course faculty-validated alignments contribute to Career Passport.
• Timeline: June 30 for Phase 1 of the AI CPL/Skills Engine

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Invitation to Get Involved

There are a couple of action steps each college can take to prepare for the Apprenticeship CPL Sprint. 

• Review your curriculum/programs for apprenticeship alignments even if you don't have an apprenticeship program.
• The question is: how can a prospective student accelerate through this program if they have pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship experience? What courses in what disciplines can we offer credit for prior learning?
• Create one pathway that starts with a potential pre-apprenticeship that could qualify for CPL toward apprenticeship leading to AS and CCC applied baccalaureate at your college or another.
• Get Involved in the Statewide Apprenticeship CPL Workgroup
• Meetings are the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month at 10am by zoom. 

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Resources

• Vision 2030 CPL Workplan
• CPL Fact Sheet with metrics & links to resources
• Beacon Economics CPL Impact Report
• CPL Sustainable Implementation Guide
• CPL Counselor Resource Center
• MAP Website with link to CPL Dashboard
• Vision 2030: Scaling CPL in California monograph

For more information, contact Sam Lee, Senior Advisor to the Chancellor for CPL at slee@cccco.edu and cell: 951-217-1751

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Thank you!

DAS Policy Goals and Support

Adele Burnes

Chief

DIR Division of Apprenticeship Standards

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Andrea Harlin

Deputy Regional Director of Strategic Partnerships

Apprenticeship and Workforce Innovation Unit

Division of Apprenticeship Standards

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Strengthening Apprenticeship Pathways

Updates and Tools

Presenters

Agenda

• Apprenticeship Innovation Funding (AIF)
• Youth Apprenticeship
• Registration Process
• Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship Program Lookup Tool
• Employer Ambassador Program

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Apprenticeship Committees

Apprenticeship Innovation Funding

2024/2025 Awards

Apprenticeship�Innovation Funding

The Apprenticeship Innovation Funding (AIF) supports IACA apprenticeship programs to sustain and scale their programs and train apprentices.

Apprenticeship Innovation Funding

Applications for Reimbursement

• This funding is accessible only to IACA occupation programs that have registered their apprentices with the DAS.
• Funds available to the fledgling apprenticeship programs that have already launched but continue to struggle for sustainability and scaling.
• AIF is a reimbursement model and formula funding
• NOT a competitive grant application process
• All performance, no contracts

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Applications for Reimbursement

• Applications for reimbursements based on supporting and training apprentices in the previous calendar year—2025.
• Expectation is that programs will apply for reimbursement annually, as long as funding is available

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Eligible Apprentices

• Apprentices associated with IACA occupations
• Apprentice was active in 2025 and placed with an employer:
• If an apprentice is registered with “Firm agree to train” in CAS, then they are not eligible.
• Apprentice compensation must meet the quality jobs framework

Quality Jobs Framework

Eligible apprentices must have a compensation package that meets �the New Hire ETP wage standard, inclusive of health benefits.

*Health Benefits of up to $2.50 may be used to meet all wage requirements. Health benefits should be calculated as a total value of only health benefits offered to apprentices in a year and calculated as an hourly amount.

This wage table is based on ETP New Hire Trainee Wages for 2025. Future years will be based on the same benchmark from the ETP Wage levels.

Timeline to Apply

Applications for reimbursement open once per year. For apprentices served in 2025, the timeline to apply is:

AIF 3 Year Impact

• Served 29,002 apprentices over 3 years
• Funded 86 active apprenticeship programs
• $51.74 average total hourly compensation for all AIF funded apprentices to date
• Lead to 76% increase in IACA apprentice registrations 2021-2024

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• Low risk, high value return on investment, reimbursement for great work serving apprentices that is already complete (no contracts, only performance)
• Meeting and exceeding projected apprentice growth with 227,492 apprentices served on path to 500,000 by 2029

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CA Youth Apprenticeship Committee (CYAC)

Develop recommendations to the division on the expansion of youth apprenticeships in California. In developing these recommendations, the committee shall specifically address the following topics:

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• Clear definitions of youth apprenticeship and high school apprenticeships.
• Guiding principles in the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program.
• Insights on the structure of the state’s work to expand youth apprenticeship.

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Report of the California Youth Apprenticeship Committee

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System Alignment

Recommendation 1

• The Goal: An integrated education, apprenticeship, and workforce system that defines shared goals, uses a common language, and supports K-14 LEA collaboration with workforce development boards, labor partners and employers

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• The Vision: Establish a coherent, equity-driven talent pipeline that seamlessly connects secondary education to postsecondary education, registered apprenticeship, and employment, enabling learners to earn wages, credit, and industry-recognized credentials aligned to high-demand careers.

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Definition of Youth Apprenticeship

Recommendation 2

Youth apprenticeship program” means an apprenticeship program registered with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards that fulfills all registered apprenticeship requirements and serves youth between 16 and 24 years of age at the time of enrollment and that also meets all of the following:

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• Offers related and supplemental instruction through school-based career technical education, work experience education, early college credit, or other academic courses, including dual enrollment courses, or the equivalent, courses, whenever possible.
• Complies with labor laws for minors.
• Offers flexible work hours to allow for pupils to participate in on-the-job training while they are enrolled in high school.
• Allows for part-time employment and extended completion time to accommodate student apprentices

In-School Implementation

Recommendations regarding an in-school implementation include:

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1. Create a new Career Apprenticeship Bridge (CAB) Program that initiates the youth apprenticeship journey starting in high school and integrates Career Technical Education (CTE) into the apprenticeship system. This CAB program would be the first phase of a youth apprenticeship and include at least 300 hours of paid on the job training, along with 144 hours of related and supplemental instruction/CTE courses. A high schooler could complete the CAB phase of an apprenticeship within high school.

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• Establish a college-connected youth apprenticeship model with clear alignment of CAB to the California Apprenticeship Initiative. A CAB completer could then matriculate into a college connected youth apprenticeship program and complete their apprenticeship while completing college coursework and degrees.

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3. Establish a program approval process for the proposed CAB pathways that will benefit both education and industry. The approval process would require Program Sponsors to ensure flexibility and commit to supporting CAB program completers in finishing their full apprenticeship program after high school graduation.

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• Explore how existing school-based programs such as Work Experience Education and WorkAbility can facilitate paid on-the-job training and connect all students to youth apprenticeship.

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• Align K-14 Career Education (CE) and Career Technical Education (CTE) systems and update CTE Model Curriculum Standards at least every five years to ensure LEAs have curricular guidance that supports youth apprenticeship integration.

Out-Of-School �Onramps

Recommendations for creating a supported onramp into youth apprenticeship for out-of-school youth include:

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1. Establish a model of youth apprenticeship that serves out-of-school and opportunity youth and is supported by pre-apprenticeships, paid training opportunities and youth apprenticeships with robust supportive services.

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• Fund and maintain the newly created CA Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship (COYA) Grant Program.

DAS Program Registration Pathway

What Shapes a Program’s Decision to Register?

• Sustainability Funding
• Talent demands
• Skills gaps
• Capacity/Administrative support
• Sourcing talent
• Expedited timelines

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Common Program Needs

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Registration Pathways

DAS can help you consider which option works best for your organization

• Create a New Program
• DAS will guide you through the registration process

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• Partner with an Existing Program
• DAS can help identify programs with registered target occupations, or prospective programs with similar training goals
• Potential partners:
• Community Colleges/Educators
• Intermediaries
• Employer-sponsored
• Workforce Development Agencies

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DAS Lookup Tool

• Search by keywords (such as occupations)
• Filter by county
• Explore apprenticeship, preapprenticeship, and on the job training programs
• Discover existing programs for potential partnership

New enhancements that make it easier for stakeholders to discover programs

DAS Lookup Tool

Search for Programs

View Details

Connecting with DAS

• DAS Advisors/Consultants are assigned as Sector Leads for new and emerging or nontraditional sectors
• Regional contacts are available for Building Construction and Fire
• Sector Leads can help programs navigate the registration process and identify partners
• We ask questions about stakeholder needs and pain points

https://www.dir.ca.gov/das/das_contactUS.html

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Thank You!

Division of Apprenticeship Standards

Web: www.dir.ca.gov/das/

Email: DAS@dir.ca.gov

DOL Policy Goals and Support

Abigail Allen

Program Specialist, Office of Apprenticeship

U.S. Department of Labor

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WHAT IS APPRENTICESHIPUSA?

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ApprenticeshipUSA is a unifying brand designed to connect, �unite, and amplify all stakeholders in the national Registered Apprenticeship system including employers, industry associations, apprenticeship sponsors, training providers, apprentices, Office of Apprenticeship staff, State Apprenticeship Agencies, educators, and others under one name.

This initiative supports the Department’s broader efforts to expand and strengthen Registered Apprenticeship.

ABOUT US

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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship promotes and oversees quality, accessible Registered Apprenticeship opportunities for workers seeking higher-skilled, higher-paying jobs and engages employers seeking to build a qualified workforce. 

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Learn more at Apprenticeship.gov

OUR MISSION

343K

700K+

Active Apprentices

New apprentices since January 2025

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FAST FACTS

26K+

Active apprenticeship programs

79%

Growth of new apprentices over the past decade

RA PLAN: MEETING & SURPASSING 1 MILLION ACTIVE APPRENTICES

Removing barriers that limit employer interest in Registered Apprenticeships and flexibility

• Streamlining the registration process
• Issue guidance clarifying the existing flexibility in regulations
• Reduce regulatory burdens

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Leveraging federal funding for apprenticeship growth

• Prioritize performance-based models
• State expansion funding
• Other Federal agency funding

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Realigning workforce and education systems around apprenticeship

• Prioritize RA through CTE and pre-apprenticeships as a pathway.

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Increasing public awareness around Registered Apprenticeships and actively

promote this proven model to employers and potential apprentices

• NAW
• RA Academy

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MARCH 9, 2026 NEW GUIDANCE

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NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING

On July 2, 2025, the Department issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled “Prohibiting Illegal Discrimination in Registered Apprenticeship Programs” that aims to remove undue regulatory burdens on Registered Apprenticeship program sponsors. The Department’s proposal:

• rescinds certain Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) provisions contained in 29 CFR part 30;
• reduces sponsors' EEO-related obligations; and
• includes conforming, technical changes to 29 CFR part 29, the Department's regulation that addresses Labor Standards for the Registration of Apprenticeship Programs.

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The deadline for submitting public comments has passed. 

To learn more, visit https://www.regulations.gov/document/ETA-2025-0006-0001

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MULTI EMPLOYER INDUSTRY BASED NATIONAL PROGRAMS��

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DOL-FUNDED REGISTERED APPRENTICES INDUSTRY INTERMEDIARIES�

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The DOL currently funds 6 Registered Apprenticeship Industry Intermediaries to provide technical assistance to Registered

Apprenticeship stakeholders in specific industry sectors, accelerating the growth of Apprenticeship across the United States. Interested stakeholders are encouraged to contact the Registered Apprenticeship Industry Intermediaries below to learn more about assistance in meeting their talent needs

• Press Release
• Funding Opportunity Announcement
• 2026 DOL Application Guide
• Pre-Applicant Webcast Recording

The targeted industries include:

Shipbuilding and Defense Industrial Base

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Semiconductor, and Nuclear Energy Infrastructure

Information Technology

Healthcare

Transportation

Telecommunication

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Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program

The U.S. Department of Labor announces the availability of up to $145 million to support a Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program as a vehicle for expanding the National Apprenticeship System. The Department will award up to five cooperative agreements with a four-year period of performance, focused on rapidly scaling and expanding newly developed Registered Apprenticeship programs and substantially growing existing Registered Apprenticeship programs across industries by offering incentive payments to program sponsors.

The Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program will prioritize incentivizing the expansion and growth of high-quality Registered Apprenticeship programs on a national scale, specifically in industries with a firmly established Registered Apprenticeship program infrastructure.

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PAY-FOR-PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PAYMENT MODELS

American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund

This a $35.8 million initiative aimed at expanding Registered Apprenticeships within the manufacturing sector. This effort, led by Arkansas’ Department of Commerce, Division of Workforce Services, will provide incentive funding to enhance apprenticeship programs nationwide. For more information about the Incentive Fund, please refer to the following resources:

• Press Release
• American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund Project Abstract
• Frequently Asked Questions
• List of approved occupations

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OA recently announced two industry focused, national-scale funding efforts that provide incentive payments to eligible RA sponsors:

COLORADO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT�

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• Promote Apprenticeships for Youth: Create an online hub with resources, training and a nationwide campaign to raise awareness.
• Set Clear Models: Develop guidelines for apprenticeships for youth at high schools, colleges and for out-of-school youth.
• Help States Build Systems: Support a select consortium of states with system plans to expand apprenticeship for young people and link education and apprenticeship.
• Align Education and Training: Connect apprenticeships with schools and careers, especially Career and Technical Education (CTE).
• Clarify and Reduce Risks: Address questions about legal issues, workers’ compensation and wages.
• Engage Employers and Partners: Bring together businesses, schools and organizations to create more opportunities.
• Use Data and Research: Improve tracking of program success and share what works.

https://www.careerwiseusa.org/

The Registered Apprenticeship Academy is an interactive learning hub designed to inform, educate, and assist Registered Apprenticeship Stakeholders succeed in their respective roles by providing vital learning pathways that are impactful, and relevant.

National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) is a nationwide celebration where ApprenticeshipUSA partners – employers, apprentices and graduates, industry representatives, labor organizations, community-based organizations, workforce partners, educational institutions, and federal, state, and local government agencies and more – host events to showcase the successes and value of Registered Apprenticeship for strengthening our economy by developing a highly skilled workforce to meet industry needs and creating pathways for career seekers to catapult into in-demand jobs.

ApprenticeshipUSA partner feedback over the past decade indicated that November is a challenging time of year for NAW due to budget cycles and colder weather. As a result, the Department decided to move NAW to the spring to capitalize on warmer weather, apprentice graduation ceremonies, and other spring celebrations. Starting with this inaugural spring NAW from April 26 - May 2, 2026. NAW will continue to be held in the spring! Future NAW celebrations will take place during the dates noted below.

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FUTURE DATES:  April 25 - May 1, 2027, and April 23 - April 29, 2028

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WHAT IS NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK?

Monday, April 27: Registered Apprenticeships Building America at 250

Tuesday, April 28: Registered Apprenticeship Drives Growth and Innovation Across Critical Industries

Wednesday, April 29: Expanding AI in Registered Apprenticeship

Thursday, April 30: Realigning Education and Workforce Systems Around Registered Apprenticeship

Friday, May 1: Youth Pathways to Registered Apprenticeship

NAW 2026 Theme:

America at Work: Making America Skilled Again through Registered Apprenticeship

QUESTIONS?�

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Thank You!

Allen.Abigail.l@dol.gov

https://www.apprenticeship.gov/national-apprenticeship-week

College Planning

Kaley Martin

Manager, Workforce Development�Foundation for California Community Colleges

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Apprenticeship Program Capacity Rubric

Considerations

• Not meant to be used as a comprehensive tool for apprenticeship planning
• Different areas may be weighted differently based on your local context
• Meant to be used at the college level

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Uses

• Determining overall college readiness for apprenticeship pathway development and expansion
• Prioritizing where to focus efforts to build necessary infrastructure
• Shared language to support planning

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Questions and Reflection

Keshia Peterson�Specialist, Education to Work Partnerships�Foundation for California Community Colleges

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Level‑Setting the Reflection

How to Use This Time

We will:

• Reflect on what we’ve learned today
• Make meaning with our college teams
• Prepare to engage employers tomorrow with clarity and purpose

This is not about having all the answers , it’s about being ready to listen, ask, and connect.

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Individual Reflection

Pause & Reflect

Take a few minutes to reflect individually.�Jot notes if helpful.

• What are your top 2-3 takeaways from today?
• What surprised or challenged your thinking?
• What questions are you still holding?

You’ll reflect first on your own, then with your team.

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Transition to Team Reflection

From Individual to Team

• Now bring your reflections into conversation with your college team.
• Your goal is not to capture everything, but to notice patterns and priorities.

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Team Reflection

As a team, discuss:

1. What themes or insights are showing up across our reflections?
2. What feels most relevant for our college right now?
3. What tensions, questions, or opportunities are we sitting with?

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Looking Forward to Day 2

Team Preparation for Day 2

As a team, discuss:

• What do we most want to learn from employers?
• What information would help us strengthen or expand apprenticeship pathways?
• What do we want employers to understand about our goals?

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Whole Group Share-Out

Share one sentence:

• One insight you’re carrying forward
• A next-step you plan to take
• One question you’re bringing into tomorrow

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Next Steps

Juan Rosales�Senior Specialist, Education to Work Partnerships�Foundation for California Community Colleges

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Next Steps & Day 2 Overview

• Day 2: Agenda Overview
• Join the Networking Reception
• 5:30 p.m. on the Fountain Terrace
• Continue sector and regional conversations

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Thank you for an impactful first day. Your collaboration builds stronger apprenticeship pathways statewide.

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Closing

Gary Adams�Dean of Adult Education, Apprenticeship, �and Contract Education

California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

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Statewide Convening on Apprenticeship Pathways

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March 20, 2026

Wifi Network: Remington Hotels Wifi Password: meetings0124

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California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, Foundation for California Community Colleges, Rancho Santiago Community College District, LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network

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Presented by:

Apprenticeship Pathways�Demonstration Project

Welcome

Gary Adams�Dean of Adult Education, Apprenticeship, �and Contract Education

California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

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Employer Engagement Overview

Keith Gemmell�Senior Manager, Business Engagement�LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network

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Employer Engagement That Actually Works: �A Practical Playbook for Community Colleges

A Familiar Story

Why do some apprenticeship programs struggle to find employers…while others have employers asking to join?

Where are the employers?

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Begin with the End in Mind

Why do some apprenticeship programs struggle to find employers…while others have employers asking to join?

The Reality:

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Apprenticeships tend to be most successful when employer needs and workforce outcomes guide the design, with curriculum built to support those goals.

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The Core Thesis

• Employer leadership is not one component of apprenticeship.

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• It is the foundation of everything.

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• Everything else sits on top of it.

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The LAUNCH Model: Employer-Led Apprenticeship

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• Employers determine a set of regional apprenticeship standards and drive program innovation.
• A system-designated program intermediary registers the apprenticeship standards on behalf of the employers.
• Education institutions provide baseline services to apprentices and applicants in cooperation with the program sponsor and employers.
• COEs, WDBs and CBOs provide pre-apprenticeship programs in cooperation and linkage with the hub.
• Industry engagement specialists and organizations link regional employers with the programs.

AN ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE FOR ORGANIZATIONS

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5 Components of �Registered Apprenticeship

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Why Programs Fail

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When colleges start programs in occupations that:

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Top 50 Report identifies:�

• High-wage, high-growth
• Non-traditional apprenticeship occupations
• Aligned to CDE Industry Clusters
• Sector-based workforce opportunities

To Be Published in Spring 2026

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Top 50 Occupations → CDE Industry Clusters

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Top 50 Occupations → CDE Industry Clusters

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Top 50 Occupations → CDE Industry Clusters

Quick Self-Assessment Tool Colleges Can Use

SAO Assessment

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Use this 5-question checklist to quickly evaluate potential apprenticeship occupations.��

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Score each category 0–2 points

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Quick Self-Assessment Tool Colleges Can Use

Total Score of 8–10 = Strong Apprenticeship Opportunity

What Employers Actually Want �(Bust the Myths)

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• A single point of contact

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• Clear explanation of time commitment

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• Help with wages, incentives, and compliance

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• Talent pipeline, not just one apprentice

Employers Care About

Employer Engagement =

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Building long-term workforce partnerships.

Who Does What at the College

Many employer partnerships fail because� everyone assumes someone else owns the relationship.

• �SUGGESTED ROLES
• Faculty: Skills alignment, job role design
• Career Services / Workforce Office: Employer outreach & follow-up
• Program Coordinator/Director: Administer compliance and sponsorship
• Leadership / Deans: Employer champions & regional partnerships (seal the deal)
• Students: Peer ambassadors (current apprentices sell the program better than anyone)

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Employer Entry Points

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

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ALUMNI WORKING IN LOCAL FIRMS

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INDUSTRY �ASSOCIATION

WORKFORCE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES

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Tools for Identifying Employers

Regional Partners

1. Government Partners
2. Industry Associations
3. Private Lists �(e.g., ZoomInfo)
4. Regional Consortia and COEs
5. LAUNCH

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California EDD Labor Market Information

• EDD Labor Market Information Division (LMID) Occupational Projections
• EDD Employers by Occupations

• EDD Long-Term Industry Employment Projections
• EDD Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Dashboard

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Employer Qualification Framework

Assess Readiness:

• Size of workforce
• Hiring frequency
• Turnover levels
• Existing partnerships with colleges
• Interest in workforce development

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Ranking

High / Medium / Low engagement readiness

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Where Can Partnerships Start

Partnerships can start from anywhere. Here are a few next steps depending on how initial contact is made

Outreach -

Cold Calling

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Most of my relationships have started by just calling around to talk to employers and get insight into their needs. Typically, this is a low-pressure conversation just to talk about their pain points and any services that apprenticeship can assist with. These are slow and steady partnerships where we take our time to build a relationship and then introduce partnership.

Faculty Connection –

Warm Handoff

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Many times, faculty are in touch with the industry or employers reach out to them with positions this is a great way to start a partnership and almost a fast track to partnership. The initial conversation is going to be more of a confirmation and that you are an additional support to the faculty.

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Working Students -

Warm Handoff

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The only thing their employee is asking is for their employer to support them with evaluations and help them access free tuition. All the other variables have been addressed, hiring from the community college, work schedules, training. Apprenticeship is just one step further.

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Industry Referral

Hot Handoff

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In some cases, a lot of employers are connected and even though they are technically competitors, they can be friends too! This is another really great way to start a partnership.

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FOMO Effect - may lead to new referrals as well.

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Outreach Channels & Tools

• Channels:
• Warm introductions �(faculty, advisory boards, alumni)
• Email outreach
• LinkedIn messaging
• Employer HR meetings
• Industry conferences
• Tools:
• Employer Intake Form
• CRM or Tracking Sheet
• Email and call scripts

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How do Employers Become a Partner

Meet

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Discuss needs in the industry that are entry-level to mid-level, their pain points -

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There are potentially many to discuss.

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Make sure that that apprenticeship meets the needs of the pain points.

�Do the competencies support their needs?

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Paperwork

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There are partnership agreements to the apprenticeship programs, and DAS & DOL forms; but the important thing is that they are not contracts.

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Partnership

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It is a spectrum. There is only one main need of apprenticeship and that is communication - it supports the success and promotes employer leadership.

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First Conversation Framework

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• 30-Minute Agenda:
• Employer’s workforce challenges
• Roles they struggle to fill
• Hiring and retention trends
• Interest in workforce partnerships

Goal:

Understand their workforce problem.

Not to sell a program.

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Why Employers Engage

• Employers participate because apprenticeship helps them:
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• Reduce turnover
• Build internal talent � pipelines
• Upskill employees
• Improve retention
• Increase workforce diversity
• Mentor

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Success

• Apprenticeship programs succeed when employers lead and colleges support.
• Start with demand.
• Build partnerships.
• Then build programs.

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Questions?

www.launchapprenticeship.org

Keith Gemmell, CWDP

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keith@launchapprenticeship.org

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Moving from Insight to Action

• Begin with the end in mind
• Identify one employer partnership to strengthen
• Identify one apprenticeship opportunity you can � advance this year

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Regional Support

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John Dunn�Regional Director of Apprenticeship,

Bay Area Community College Consortium - NCAN

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Dr. Lexy Davis�CEO, Intermediary Development Corporation representing �SCAN

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Chris Cagle�Director of Business Services & Apprenticeship�South Bay Workforce Investment Board - SCAN

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NCAN Mission�The Northern California Apprentice Network (NCAN) will create, coordinate, and expand apprenticeship programs in new industries across the Northern California region to better prepare the workforce of tomorrow�

• Launched on April 29th, 2021, our network is a collaborative effort of employers, public sector entities, community colleges, non-profit training providers, community colleges, and apprenticeship intermediaries.
• NCAN is employer-driven and will provide an open forum for all Northern California employers to learn from each other about the benefits and best practices of quality apprenticeship programming.

Regional Apprenticeship Networks

To lean more, contact us at:

scan@sbwib.org

Employer Panel

Charles Henkels�LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network

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Rebecca Bettencourt�Gallo Winery

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Steve Tyrrell�Mitsubishi Cement Corporation

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Bryan Hildebrand�Jaguar Land Rover Riverside

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Chad Newland�Global Medical Response

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Thank You �to our Panelists!

10 Minute Break

Break

Employer Engagement Action Planning

Keith Gemmell�Senior Manager, Business Engagement�LAUNCH

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Why This Session Matters

• Colleges often ask:
• Why do some apprenticeship programs � struggle to find employers?
• Why do others have employers asking to � join?
• Today we hear directly from employers.

Your goal today: Listen → Learn → Act

What You’ll Do in This Session

Today you will:

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1. Hear candid perspectives from employers
2. Learn what makes partnerships succeed
3. Understand what employers need before saying yes
4. Create one employer-informed action for your college

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Every college leaves with at least one (1)

clear next step.

How the Room Is Set Up

AT EACH TABLE:

• Colleges seated by region
• One (1) employer aligned to a priority sector
• Multiple colleges from the same region

YOUR TABLE ROLES

Please designate:

• Lead Listener
• Note Taker

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Materials at each table:

• Employer question prompts
• Action planning worksheet

Who Will Help Facilitate

LAUNCH Regional Apprenticeship Managers (RAMs), Contract Education TAP, and Foundation staff will:

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• Rotate between tables
• Help guide discussion
• Ask follow-up questions
• Keep conversations focused

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They are here to help ensure strong, consistent conversations across all tables.

Important Ground Rules

This session is designed differently from most panels.

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Employers speak first.

Colleges listen first.

Focus on:

• Listening
• Understanding employer realities
• Asking clarifying questions

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Solutions and action planning come later.

How the Conversation Will Work

You’ll move through three discussion rounds:

Why These Employers Are Here

Working with LAUNCH Employer Partners and Your Sectors of Interest, we identified:

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• Priority regional sectors
• High-demand occupations
• Employers actively engaged in workforce development

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These employers are here to help you understand:

What makes apprenticeship partnerships actually work

Let’s

Begin

Pre-�Round

Tables Assign:�� A Lead Listener

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A Lead Note Taker

�30 seconds

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Pre-�Round

Employers Introduce Yourself to Your Table

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30 seconds��Name�Organization & Position

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Round 1

What makes it hard for you to connect or work with colleges on apprenticeship?

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Round 1

What makes it hard for you to connect or work with colleges on apprenticeship?

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• Can you walk us through the last time you tried to partner with a college?

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• Where in that process did things slow down or break down?

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• Are there parts of the process that tend to feel unclear or harder to navigate?

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• Who do you usually talk to first, and is that the right person?

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Round 2

When a college partnership works well,

what’s different?

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Round 2

When a college partnership works well, what’s different?

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• What did the college do that made you want to stay engaged?

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• What made communication feel easy or efficient?

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• What role did leadership or decision-makers play?

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• What support did the college provide beyond curriculum?

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Round 3

What do you need from a college before you’re willing to launch or expand an apprenticeship?

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Round 3

What do you need from a college before you’re willing to launch or expand an apprenticeship?

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• What tells you a college is apprenticeship-ready?

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• What questions do you ask yourself before saying yes?

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• What’s a red flag that makes you hesitate or disengage?

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• What timeline feels reasonable from first meeting to start?

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Final Step

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Colleges Work as Teams at Tables

Action Plan Prompts:

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• Top employer pain point we heard

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• One internal change we can make

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• One employer engagement action in the next 60 days

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• Who owns this on our campus

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• How LAUNCH RAMs and other partners can help

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Common Themes Emerging Today

LAUNCH RAMs Report

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Employer Pain Points

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What Employers Value

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College Action

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Thank You �to our Employer Partners!

Strong Apprenticeship Programs

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• Today’s conversations highlighted an important reality:
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• Successful apprenticeship programs are built with employers — not for them.

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Reflection

Asti Altenritter�Specialist, Education to Work Partnerships�Foundation for California Community Colleges

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Next Steps

Juan Rosales�Senior Specialist, Education to Work Partnerships�Foundation for California Community Colleges

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Next Steps and Resources

• Please complete the convening survey
• Upcoming Events
• Designing Pre‑Apprenticeship Pathways
• Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2026
• Time: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
• Location: Sacramento, CA
• National Apprenticeship Week (April 26-May 2)
• Twice monthly Apprenticeship Office Hours on �2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 2:00 PM
• Explore additional resources
• Toolkits
• CPL & Apprenticeship Materials
• VRC and statewide tools
• You will receive a follow-up thank you email

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https://linktr.ee/apprenticeshipCO

Closing

Gary Adams�Dean of Adult Education, Apprenticeship, �and Contract Education

California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

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Apprenticeship@cccco.edu

ApprenticeshipSupportNetwork@foundationccc.org

Thank You