Villapudua Works to Establish the California Apprenticeship Grant Program

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua (D-Stockton) has introduced legislation to create the California Apprenticeship Grant Program. This will provide supplemental financial resources for qualified individuals working as an apprentice, aiming to lower the barriers to access for these valuable work-based learning opportunities. 

“We are working to make bold but necessary investments for our incoming workforce,” said Assemblymember Villapudua. “Career technical education and apprenticeship programs have shown to provide important work experience to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, so we need to make sure students who are seeking these opportunities have the means to support themselves along the way.”

Career technical education (CTE) is critical to meeting the state’s workforce needs. The current trends reveal that roughly one-third of new jobs in the state will soon require some training beyond high school but less than a four-year degree. These apprenticeships offer a solution that provides students with the experience they need for high-demand, high-wage jobs, and provides our employers with access to the high-skilled workforce they need.

Apprenticeship programs and CTE allow students to gain experience while earning an official industry certificate that may be desired or even required by an eventual employer. Providing this supplemental financial grant for eligible students will help more people access these kinds of opportunities to best prepare for their future.

“The signs have become loud and clear,” said Assemblymember Villapudua. “Our incoming workforce will depend on the skills they obtain today, so we must support CTE and apprenticeships now as we prepare for our future.”

Learn more about AB 299 here.