Governor Gavin Newsom announced a $44.4 million investment to train 49,000 new apprentices through 131 programs statewide.
The funding includes $15.9 million to 67 programs supporting approximately 10,000 individuals through the Apprenticeship Innovation Fund, and $28.5 million in Employment Training Panel funding to support 64 apprenticeship programs, training an estimated 39,040 workers.
Since 2019, California has supported more than 694,000 earn-and-learn opportunities, including nearly 267,000 registered apprentices. Over the past year, the state created 129,300 jobs at twice the national rate, accounting for more than one in four new U.S. jobs added.
The apprenticeships span skilled trades, health care, education, and technology. Newsom has expanded non-traditional apprenticeships by 76%, growing opportunities in health care, advanced manufacturing, technology, and other high-demand sectors. Californians can now use 529 college savings funds for registered apprenticeship programs.
Newsom described the apprenticeship initiative as central to California's workforce strategy. "We're aligning our workforce strategies in a granular way through record-breaking apprenticeship programs," he said. According to his office, California wages are 20% higher than the national average, and the state's productivity growth has been more than twice the national rate.
During Newsom's administration, 1 in 30 Californians in the workforce have completed an earn-and-learn program, and the state has served 266,756 registered apprentices. California is on track to meet Newsom's goal of serving 500,000 registered apprentices by 2029.