Mike Fong

Existing law establishes the Division of Apprenticeship Standards within the Department of Industrial Relations and requires the division, among other things, to evaluate apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs to ensure that the program evaluated is complying with its standards, as specified.

This bill would establish the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program to be administered by the division for specific purposes, including, among other purposes, to coordinate and establish apprenticeships for in-school and out-of-school individuals from 16 to 24 years of age, inclusive, and to establish a streamlined youth apprenticeship data system to promote data-driven decisionmaking. The bill would require the division, among other things, to work with the State Department of Education and the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to develop parameters and guidelines for the program, as specified.

This bill would require the division to submit a report to the Legislature, on or before January 1, 2028, identifying barriers to employer participation and engagement in the program, and would require the division, on or before January 1, 2030, to develop and maintain, on the division's internet website, a dashboard to track outcomes of the individuals participating in the program.