Design and Construction Report staff writer
The State of California is distributing $24.7 million to 65 apprenticeship programs across key sectors.
This is the second round of the Apprenticeship Innovation Funding (AIF) program, which creates earn-and-learn pathways to meet current industry workforce demands. This funding will support 8,270 apprentices who would earn an average wage of nearly $32 per hour.
“We’re taking a bottom-up approach to making sure Californians get the skills they need to get good-paying jobs in every region of the state. These apprenticeships represent thousands of opportunities for Californians to jump into new careers and bring in higher wages for their families,” Newsom said.
California has set a goal to serve 500,000 apprentices by 2029, with 190,915 apprentices having been served to date as the state continues to be the nation’s leader in registered apprenticeships.
Also announced last week, the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint will guide investments in key sectors to drive sustainable economic growth, innovation, and access to good-paying jobs over the next decade. The complete Economic Blueprint will be released early next year, along with $120 million to support “ready-to-go” job-creating projects statewide within the next three years.
“This investment reflects California’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that our labor sectors have access to a steady pipeline of skilled talent, while also opening doors for many Californians to train for high-demand careers and earn a paycheck,” DIR Director Katie Hagen.
For more information about this announcement, click here.
