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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
94
Introduced by Assembly Member Fong
February 18, 2025
An act to add Article 8 (commencing with Section 3140) to Chapter 4 of Division 3 of the Labor Code, relating to apprenticeships.
Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal committee: yes Local program: no
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
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. Existing law requires the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards to perform various functions with respect to apprenticeship programs and the welfare of apprentices.
This bill would establish the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program to be administered by the division for specific purposes, including, among other purposes, to and would authorize the division to work with the
State Department of Education and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges in order to, among other things, identify resources to support youth apprenticeships. The bill would require a program applicant for a Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program to submit documentation to the chief, as specified. The bill would require the chief, before approving a Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program, to present the application, as described, to the State Department of Education to review whether specified requirements are met. The bill would authorize the chief, among other things, to issue rules and regulations that govern Career Apprenticeship Bridge Programs, as specified. The bill would authorize the division to identify county and regional intermediaries, as described, to coordinate and provide support to local educational entities, employers, and youth to implement the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) California has a strong interest in expanding access to youth apprenticeship opportunities that connect high school, postsecondary education, workforce training, and pathways to good jobs.
(b) Apprenticeships and other “earn and learn” opportunities provide students with valuable paid work experience, career-connected learning, and opportunities for economic mobility.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that Career Apprenticeship Bridge Programs be implemented in a manner that promotes awareness of, access to, participation in, and successful completion of youth apprenticeship opportunities for all eligible participants.
(d) It is further the intent of the Legislature that outreach, recruitment, retention, and support efforts be conducted, to the extent feasible, for youth and young adults who face barriers to educational attainment or employment, including foster youth and former foster youth, justice-impacted youth, youth experiencing homelessness or housing instability, youth from low-income households, and youth residing in communities disproportionately impacted by poverty.
(e) It is further the intent of the Legislature that the Division of Apprenticeship Standards work with county and regional intermediaries, including local educational agencies, county offices of education, community-based organizations, industry sector partners, workforce development entities, employers, and other stakeholders to support the implementation and expansion of Career Apprenticeship Bridge Programs.
SECTION 1. SEC. 2.
Article 8 (commencing with Section 3140) is added to Chapter 4 of Division 3 of the Labor Code, to read:
Article 8. Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program
For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(a) (1) “Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program” means a program within a state-approved apprenticeship program for students in grades 10 to 12, inclusive, to gain paid work experience while receiving related and supplemental instruction through a career technical education pathway.
(2) The program provides learners with an enhanced educational experience that embeds the apprenticeship model and allows them to start and complete a phase of their apprenticeship journey prior to high school graduation.
(b) “Student apprentice” means a registered apprentice who meets all of the following criteria:
(1) Is at least 16 years of age.
(2) Is enrolled full time in school in grade 10, 11, or 12.
(3) Is participating in a youth apprenticeship program.
(c) (1)“Work experience education” means a course of study that combines an on-the-job component with classroom instruction.
has the same meaning as defined in Article 7 (commencing with Section 51760) of Chapter 5 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code.
(d) “Youth apprenticeship program” means an apprenticeship program approved by the chief and registered with the division that does all of the following:
(1) Fulfills all registered apprenticeship requirements.
(2) Serves youth between 16 to 24 years of age, inclusive, at the time of enrollment.
(3) Offers related and supplemental instruction through school-based career technical education or academic courses, including dual enrollment courses, or the equivalent, whenever possible.
(4) Complies with labor laws for minors.
(5) Offers flexible work hours to allow for pupils to participate in on-the-job training while they are enrolled in high school.
(6) Allows for part-time employment and extended completion time to accommodate student apprentices.
(a) The Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program is hereby established, to be administered by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, for purposes of both of the following: Standards.
(b) The division may work with the State Department of Education and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges in order to do both of the following:
(1) Identify resources to support youth apprenticeships.
(2) Identify appropriate partnerships between local educational agencies, the State Department of Education, the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, agencies and other state agencies and employers to guide and implement the program.
(a) A program applicant for a Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program shall submit documentation to the chief showing all of the following:
(1) The proposed program offers a minimum of 300 hours paid on-the-job training hours through a work experience education program or equivalent.
(2) The proposed program offers a minimum of 144 hours of occupation-specific, apprenticeship-related and supplemental instruction as part of a career technical education pathway or equivalent.
(3) (A) The proposed program provides participants who complete the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program with guaranteed entry and advanced standing in a state-approved apprenticeship program for the hours of paid on-the-job training and related and supplemental instruction that the participant has accrued.
(B) The requirement in this paragraph may be satisfied by either of the following:
(i) An agreement between the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program and the state-approved apprenticeship program.
(ii) Evidence that the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program is incorporated into the state-approved apprenticeship program.
(b) To the greatest extent possible, the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program shall offer a minimum of one college enrollment course, or equivalent, to enable participants to earn early college credits.
(c) (1) Before approving a Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program, the chief shall present the application to the State Department of Education to review whether the requirements in subdivisions (a) and (b) are met.
(2) If the State Department of Education confirms that the requirements in subdivisions (a) and (b) are met, it shall provide written notice of that fact to the chief.
(3) If the State Department of Education does not provide written notice pursuant to paragraph (2), the chief shall not approve the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program.
(d) The chief may do all of the following:
(1) Require other documentation to be submitted by the applicant.
(2) Impose other requirements for approval of Career Apprenticeship Bridge Programs in consultation with the State Department of Education.
(3) Suspend, or revoke approval of, a Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program by providing written notice of the reasons for the suspension or revocation.
(e) (1) The chief, in consultation with the State Department of Education, may issue rules and regulations that govern Career Apprenticeship Bridge Programs, including, but not limited to, rules and regulations governing the approval, denial, suspension, and revocation of programs, program administration and procedures, evaluations, working conditions, and minimum standards.
(2) All rules and regulations adopted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be consistent with the rules and regulations adopted by the State Department of Education.
(f) The Division of Apprenticeship Standards may identify county and regional intermediaries, including county offices of education, community organizations, industry sector partners, or other entities to coordinate and provide support to local educational entities, employers, and youth to implement the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program.