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.

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 coordinate and establish apprenticeships for high school students and to 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 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, and annually thereafter, to submit a report to the Legislature on program outcomes, as specified. 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.

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. high school students and to identify resources to support youth apprenticeships. 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 divisions internet website, a dashboard to track outcomes of the individuals participating in the program. and annually thereafter, to submit a report to the Legislature on program outcomes, as specified.

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 standard, standards, as specified.

This bill would establish the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program to be administered by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards 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.

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, independent institutions of higher education, as defined, and private postsecondary educational institutions, as defined, as the segments of postsecondary education in the state.

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact future legislation relating to college and career programs.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Sabrina Cervantes, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular Session

AB 805 (Fong) - Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program

Bill Summary:

AB 805 would bill establish the Career Apprenticeship Bridge (CAB) program, as specified.

Fiscal Impact:

• The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) indicates that it would incur first-year costs of $1.6 million, and $1.5 million annually thereafter, to implement the provisions of the bill (General Fund).
• The California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Community Colleges (CCC) would likely incur minor and absorbable costs to work with DIR on program parameters and regulations.
• The bill would result in annual cost pressures, likely in the tens of millions of dollars, to create programs for youth participants that meet CAB Program purposes (General Fund, see Staff Comments).

Background:

California's apprenticeship system is administered by DIR’s Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS), which oversees the state's registered apprenticeship programs and enforces standards governing wages, hours, working conditions, and occupational training requirements. Apprenticeship programs combine paid, on-the-job training with related classroom instruction, providing workers with a structured pathway to industry-recognized credentials and career advancement.

The California Apprenticeship Council (CAC) establishes apprenticeship standards for the building and construction trades and firefighter occupations, while the Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (IACA) performs a similar role for apprenticeship programs in all other sectors, including healthcare, advanced manufacturing, education, technology, and other emerging industries.

Recognizing the value of apprenticeship as a pathway into high-demand careers, the Legislature established the California Youth Apprenticeship Committee (CYAC) in 2022 to develop a statewide strategy for expanding apprenticeship opportunities for young people. The Committee was directed to define youth apprenticeship, establish guiding principles for youth apprenticeship programs, and recommend policies to support the growth of apprenticeship opportunities for both in-school and out-of-school youth.

In 2024, CYAC released The California Youth Apprenticeship Model, a report outlining recommendations for a coordinated statewide youth apprenticeship framework. The report defines youth apprenticeship as a registered apprenticeship program serving individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 that combines paid work experience with classroom instruction and career technical education. These programs must satisfy all registered apprenticeship requirements while accommodating the unique needs of youth participants, including compliance with child labor laws and flexible scheduling.

Youth participation already represents a significant component of California's apprenticeship system. According to DAS, approximately one-third of registered apprentices are between the ages of 16 and 24, including participants in both traditional building trades apprenticeships and apprenticeships in other industries.

The Legislature also established the California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship (COYA) Grant Program to expand apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities for young people facing barriers to employment. The program provides funding to develop new apprenticeship pathways, expand existing programs, and strengthen partnerships among workforce organizations, educational institutions, employers, labor organizations, and community-based organizations.

The program seeks to improve labor market outcomes for opportunity youth by connecting participants with training, supportive services, and pathways into high-wage careers. Since its creation, DAS has awarded more than $59 million through multiple rounds of COYA grants to support apprenticeship expansion and workforce development initiatives throughout the state.

A central recommendation of the CYAC report is the creation of a Career Apprenticeship Bridge (CAB) program designed to integrate apprenticeship opportunities directly into the high school experience. The proposal seeks to establish a formal connection between career technical education (CTE) programs and registered apprenticeships, allowing students to begin accumulating apprenticeship-related experience and training before graduating from high school.

Under the proposed model, students would participate in a structured combination of paid work-based learning and occupation-specific classroom instruction aligned with a registered apprenticeship pathway. Where feasible, participants would also have opportunities to earn college credit while completing program requirements. Upon completion, students would receive credit toward a registered apprenticeship program, allowing them to enter with advanced standing and continue progressing toward journey-level status after high school.

The proposal is intended to create a more seamless transition from secondary education into apprenticeship and employment by enabling students to complete an initial phase of apprenticeship training while still enrolled in school. According to CYAC, this approach would expand access to paid work experience, strengthen connections between education and workforce systems, and provide students with multiple postsecondary options, including direct entry into registered apprenticeship programs, continued employment with apprenticeship sponsors, or pursuit of higher education.

The report distinguishes the proposed CAB model from traditional pre-apprenticeship programs, which generally focus on classroom-based preparation and simulated workplace experiences but typically do not include paid on-the-job training. CYAC concluded that a distinct framework was necessary because existing pre-apprenticeship models are not designed to provide the level of compensated work experience and apprenticeship credit contemplated under the proposed bridge program. By integrating paid employment, classroom instruction, and apprenticeship advancement into a single framework, the CAB model is intended to create an earlier and more direct pathway into California's registered apprenticeship system.

Proposed Law:

This bill, among other things, would do the following:

• Establish the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program to be administered by DAS and authorize the Division to work with SDE and the Office of the Chancellor of the CCC in order to, among other things, identify resources to support youth apprenticeships.
• Require a program applicant for a Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program to submit documentation to DAS, as specified.
• Require the Chief of DAS, before approving a Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program, to present the application, as described, to SDE to review whether specified requirements are met.
• Authorize the Chief of DAS, among other things, to issue rules and regulations that govern Career Apprenticeship Bridge Programs, as specified.

Related Legislation:

• SB 845 (Perez) would make several changes to the state’s framework for CTE and work-based learning, including: (1) revising the process for updating model CTE curriculum standards by requiring consultation with CTE teachers and labor representatives; (2) expanding the authority of local educational agencies, including state special schools, to offer and award credit for work-based learning activities beginning in grade 10; (3) establishing an interagency workgroup to develop occupational frameworks for youth apprenticeships; and (4) requiring the CDE to collect data on work-based learning participation, subject to an appropriation. This bill is pending in the Assembly Education Committee.
• ACR 16 (Fong, Chapter 130, Statutes of 2023) declared the importance of creating pathways to success for California’s opportunity youth and the need to develop a statewide comprehensive plan that will reduce persistent economic inequities endured by California’s opportunity youth.
• SB 191 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 67, Statutes of 2022), among other things, established youth apprenticeship as a key priority for the DAS, required the DAS to convene the CYAC, and established the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program.

Staff Comments:

Previous state budgets included support for youth apprenticeship and workforce training programs of a similar magnitude. For example, the 2022 Budget Act enacted the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program and provided $65 million (General Fund) over three years to develop or expand on existing apprenticeship programs for 16- to 24-year-old individuals facing certain barriers to labor market participation.

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SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Sabrina Cervantes, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular Session

AB 805 (Fong) - Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program

Bill Summary:

AB 805 would bill establish the Career Apprenticeship Bridge (CAB) program, as specified.

Fiscal Impact:

• The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) indicates that it would incur first-year costs of $1.6 million, and $1.5 million annually thereafter, to implement the provisions of the bill. Ongoing costs would include maintaining the dashboard and working with specified entities to administer and support the CAB Program (General Fund).
• The California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Community Colleges (CCC) would likely incur minor and absorbable costs to work with DIR on program parameters and regulations.
• The bill would result in annual cost pressures, likely in the tens of millions of dollars, to create programs for youth participants that meet CAB Program purposes (General Fund, see Staff Comments).

Background:

California's apprenticeship system is administered by DIR’s Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS), which oversees the state's registered apprenticeship programs and enforces standards governing wages, hours, working conditions, and occupational training requirements. Apprenticeship programs combine paid, on-the-job training with related classroom instruction, providing workers with a structured pathway to industry-recognized credentials and career advancement.

The California Apprenticeship Council (CAC) establishes apprenticeship standards for the building and construction trades and firefighter occupations, while the Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (IACA) performs a similar role for apprenticeship programs in all other sectors, including healthcare, advanced manufacturing, education, technology, and other emerging industries.

Recognizing the value of apprenticeship as a pathway into high-demand careers, the Legislature established the California Youth Apprenticeship Committee (CYAC) in 2022 to develop a statewide strategy for expanding apprenticeship opportunities for young people. The Committee was directed to define youth apprenticeship, establish guiding principles for youth apprenticeship programs, and recommend policies to support the growth of apprenticeship opportunities for both in-school and out-of-school youth.

In 2024, CYAC released The California Youth Apprenticeship Model, a report outlining recommendations for a coordinated statewide youth apprenticeship framework. The report defines youth apprenticeship as a registered apprenticeship program serving individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 that combines paid work experience with classroom instruction and career technical education. These programs must satisfy all registered apprenticeship requirements while accommodating the unique needs of youth participants, including compliance with child labor laws and flexible scheduling.

Youth participation already represents a significant component of California's apprenticeship system. According to DAS, approximately one-third of registered apprentices are between the ages of 16 and 24, including participants in both traditional building trades apprenticeships and apprenticeships in other industries.

The Legislature also established the California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship (COYA) Grant Program to expand apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities for young people facing barriers to employment. The program provides funding to develop new apprenticeship pathways, expand existing programs, and strengthen partnerships among workforce organizations, educational institutions, employers, labor organizations, and community-based organizations.

The program seeks to improve labor market outcomes for opportunity youth by connecting participants with training, supportive services, and pathways into high-wage careers. Since its creation, DAS has awarded more than $59 million through multiple rounds of COYA grants to support apprenticeship expansion and workforce development initiatives throughout the state.

A central recommendation of the CYAC report is the creation of a Career Apprenticeship Bridge (CAB) program designed to integrate apprenticeship opportunities directly into the high school experience. The proposal seeks to establish a formal connection between career technical education (CTE) programs and registered apprenticeships, allowing students to begin accumulating apprenticeship-related experience and training before graduating from high school.

Under the proposed model, students would participate in a structured combination of paid work-based learning and occupation-specific classroom instruction aligned with a registered apprenticeship pathway. Where feasible, participants would also have opportunities to earn college credit while completing program requirements. Upon completion, students would receive credit toward a registered apprenticeship program, allowing them to enter with advanced standing and continue progressing toward journey-level status after high school.

The proposal is intended to create a more seamless transition from secondary education into apprenticeship and employment by enabling students to complete an initial phase of apprenticeship training while still enrolled in school. According to CYAC, this approach would expand access to paid work experience, strengthen connections between education and workforce systems, and provide students with multiple postsecondary options, including direct entry into registered apprenticeship programs, continued employment with apprenticeship sponsors, or pursuit of higher education.

The report distinguishes the proposed CAB model from traditional pre-apprenticeship programs, which generally focus on classroom-based preparation and simulated workplace experiences but typically do not include paid on-the-job training. CYAC concluded that a distinct framework was necessary because existing pre-apprenticeship models are not designed to provide the level of compensated work experience and apprenticeship credit contemplated under the proposed bridge program. By integrating paid employment, classroom instruction, and apprenticeship advancement into a single framework, the CAB model is intended to create an earlier and more direct pathway into California's registered apprenticeship system.

Proposed Law:

This bill, among other things, would do the following:

• Establish the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program to be administered by DAS and authorize the Division to work with SDE and the Office of the Chancellor of the CCC in order to, among other things, identify resources to support youth apprenticeships.
• Require a program applicant for a Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program to submit documentation to DAS, as specified.
• Require the Chief of DAS, before approving a Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program, to present the application, as described, to SDE to review whether specified requirements are met.
• Authorize the Chief of DAS, among other things, to issue rules and regulations that govern Career Apprenticeship Bridge Programs, as specified.

Related Legislation:

• SB 845 (Perez) would make several changes to the state’s framework for CTE and work-based learning, including: (1) revising the process for updating model CTE curriculum standards by requiring consultation with CTE teachers and labor representatives; (2) expanding the authority of local educational agencies, including state special schools, to offer and award credit for work-based learning activities beginning in grade 10; (3) establishing an interagency workgroup to develop occupational frameworks for youth apprenticeships; and (4) requiring the CDE to collect data on work-based learning participation, subject to an appropriation. This bill is pending in the Assembly Education Committee.
• ACR 16 (Fong, Chapter 130, Statutes of 2023) declared the importance of creating pathways to success for California’s opportunity youth and the need to develop a statewide comprehensive plan that will reduce persistent economic inequities endured by California’s opportunity youth.
• SB 191 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 67, Statutes of 2022), among other things, established youth apprenticeship as a key priority for the DAS, required the DAS to convene the CYAC, and established the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program.

Staff Comments:

Previous state budgets included support for youth apprenticeship and workforce training programs of a similar magnitude. For example, the 2022 Budget Act enacted the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program and provided $65 million (General Fund) over three years to develop or expand on existing apprenticeship programs for 16- to 24-year-old individuals facing certain barriers to labor market participation.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT AND RETIREMENT

Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular

Bill No: AB 805 Hearing Date: June 17, 2026

SUBJECT: Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program

KEY ISSUE

This bill establishes the Career Apprenticeship Bridge (CAB) program, administered by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS), to among other things, identify resources to support youth apprenticeships. The bill additionally requires (1) a CAB program applicant to submit documentation to the chief of DAS, as specified, and (2) the chief, before approving a CAB program, to present the application, as described, to the State Department of Education (CDE) to review whether specified requirements are met.

ANALYSIS

Existing law:

1. Establishes the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) within the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) 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. (Labor Code §3073.1)
2. Establishes youth apprenticeship as a key priority for DAS and requires that youth apprenticeship complement the state’s existing registered apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs, as specified. (Labor Code §3120)
3. Requires the Chief of DAS to convene a committee to develop recommendations to the Division on the expansion of youth apprenticeships in California and provide a report to the Division with a set of recommendations no later than July 1, 2024. (Labor Code § 3121)
   1. Requires the committee, in developing these recommendations, to specifically address the following topics:
      1. Clear definitions of youth apprenticeship and high school apprenticeships.
      2. Guiding principles in the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program administered by the division, as specified.
      3. Insights on the structure of the state’s work to expand youth apprenticeship.
   2. Requires the committee to include representatives from youth, youth serving organizations, labor, employers of youth, K–12 schools, community colleges, and the public workforce system.
4. Establishes the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program, administered by DAS, for the purposes of awarding grant funds to eligible applicants to provide funding for existing apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs or to develop new apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs that serve individuals from 16 to 24 years of age who are at risk of disconnection or are disconnected from the education system or employment, unhoused, in the child welfare, juvenile justice, or criminal legal systems, living in concentrated poverty, or are facing barriers to labor market participation (“opportunity youth”), as specified. (Labor Code §3122)

This bill:

1. Establishes the Career Apprenticeship Bridge (CAB) program, administered by DAS, for the purpose of both the following:
   1. To identify resources to support youth apprenticeships.
   2. To identify appropriate partnerships between local educational agencies, CDE, DAS, and other state agencies and employers to guide and implement the program.
2. Defines the following:
   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 (CTE) pathway.
      1. 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.
   2. “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.
   3. “Work experience education” means a course of study that combines an on-the-job component with classroom instruction.
      1. “Work experience education” may be established by the governing board or body of a local educational agency, as specified.
   4. “Youth apprenticeship program” means an apprenticeship program approved by the chief and registered with DAS 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 (RSI) through school-based CTE 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 (OJT) while they are enrolled in high school.
      6. Allows for part-time employment and extended completion time to accommodate student apprentices.
3. Requires a program applicant for a CAB program to submit documentation to the chief of DAS showing all of the following:
   1. The proposed program offers a minimum of 300 hours paid OJT hours through a work experience education program or equivalent.
   2. The proposed program offers a minimum of 144 hours of occupation-specific, apprenticeship-RSI as part of a CTE pathway or equivalent.
   3. The proposed program provides participants who complete the CAB program with guaranteed entry and advanced standing in a state-approved apprenticeship program for the hours of paid OJT and RSI that the participant has accrued.
      1. The requirement in this paragraph may be satisfied by either of the following:
         1. An agreement between the CAB program and the state-approved apprenticeship program.
         2. Evidence that the CAB program is incorporated into the state-approved apprenticeship program.
4. Requires, to the greatest extent possible, the CAB program to offer a minimum of one college enrollment course, or equivalent, to enable participants to earn early college credits.
5. Requires the chief of DAS, before approving a CAB program, to present the application to the CDE to review whether the requirements, in 3) and 4) are met.
   1. If CDE confirms that the requirements in 3) and 4) are met, it must provide written notice of that fact to the chief of DAS.
   2. If CDE does not provide written notice, the chief shall not approve the CAB program.
6. Authorizes the chief of DAS to do all of the following:
   1. Require other documentation to be submitted by the applicant.
   2. Impose other requirements for approval of CAB programs in consultation with the CDE.
   3. Suspend, or revoke approval of, a CAB program by providing written notice of the reasons for the suspension or revocation.
7. Authorizes the chief of DAS, in consultation with CDE, to issue rules and regulations that govern CAB 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.
   1. Requires all rules and regulations adopted, as specified, to be consistent with the rules and regulations adopted by CDE.
   2. Permits a regulation to be adopted to prioritize outreach, recruitment, retention, and support for youth and young adults facing barriers to educational attainment and 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.
8. Authorizes DAS to 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 CAB program.

COMMENTS

1. Background:

Apprenticeships

DAS administers the state’s apprenticeship laws and enforces apprenticeship standards for wages, hours, working conditions and the specific skills required for state certification as a journey person in an apprenticeable occupation. In general, apprenticeship programs provide instruction that combines a formal course of in-class instruction with practical “on-the-job” training.

Under DAS, the California Apprenticeship Council (CAC) establishes standards for minimum wages, maximum hours, and working conditions for apprenticeship agreements in the building and construction trades and for firefighter occupations. The Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (IACA) establishes similar standards apprentice agreements in all industries other than the building and construction trades and firefighter occupations, such as in healthcare, technology, advanced manufacturing, education, etc.

Youth apprentices

The California Youth Apprenticeship Committee (CYAC) was established in SB 191 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 67, Statutes of 2022), with the goal to advance youth apprenticeship in California. The committee was tasked with creating clear definitions for youth apprenticeship and high school apprenticeship, developing guiding principles for the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program, and offering insight on the structure of the state’s work to expand youth apprenticeship.^[1]

As required by SB 191, the CYAC published their report, The California Youth Apprenticeship Model^[2] in 2024, which made several recommendations to create an interconnected youth apprenticeship system that serves both in-school and out-of-school youth. In the final report, CYAC recommends defining youth apprenticeships as:

An apprenticeship program that combines paid work experience with classroom learning to prepare young people aged 16-24 for successful careers. A California Youth Apprenticeship Program is registered with DAS and:

• Fulfills all existing registered apprenticeship requirements,
• Serves youth ages 16-24 at the time of enrollment,
• Offers related and supplemental instruction (RSI) throughout advanced Career Technical Education (CTE) courses, dual enrollment, or the equivalent, and
• Complies with labor laws for minors and offers flexible work hours.

According to DAS, on average, between 2021 and 2025, 31% of registered apprentices are aged 16-24. As of 2025, there are 11,580 registered youth apprentices (age 16-24). Of these, 8,577 youth apprentices are CAC apprentices (in the building and fire trades), and 3,003 are IACA apprentices (in other occupational apprenticeships).

Additionally, the California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship (COYA) grant, administered by DAS, was established in SB 191 (2022) to award grant funds to eligible applicants to provide funding for existing apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs or to develop new apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs to serve opportunity youth and to demonstrate the impact of apprenticeship on employment and earnings outcomes for opportunity youth.

The objective of COYA is to expand relationships with community-based organizations and labor market stakeholders that serve opportunity youth who face barriers to labor market participation. Through these partnerships, DAS aims to uplift opportunity youth with the resources necessary to enter and thrive in high-paying careers.

In July 2024, COYA awarded $31 million in grants through its first round, for 2024-2026. Through its second round, COYA awarded $15.4 million in grants for 2025-2027. Most recently, COYA awarded $13.2 million in continuation grants through its third round for 2026-2028.^[3]

CYAC report recommendations – creating a Career Apprenticeship Bridge program

As mentioned previously, CYAC’s report, The California Youth Apprenticeship Model, made several recommendations to create an interconnected youth apprenticeship system that serves both in-school and out-of-school youth. These recommendations were aimed at addressing California's critical skills gap, while providing alternate pathways to economic mobility for young people.

One of the report’s recommendations is to create a new career apprenticeship bridge (CAB) program that initiates the youth apprenticeship journey starting in high school and integrates career technical education (CTE) into the apprenticeship system. According to the report, “the CAB program would be the first phase of an apprenticeship, and offer students a way to gain paid work experience with aligned classroom instruction, which when possible, would confer early college credit while still in high school. The CAB program would provide learners with an enhanced educational experience that embeds the apprenticeship model and allows them to start and complete a phase of their professional journey prior to high school graduation.” The goal is to allow more young people to begin apprenticeships while still in high school and gain paid work experience. Currently, most apprenticeships begin after high school.

Specifically, the CAB program is defined as an apprenticeship-connected CTE program, registered with DAS, that:

1. Has been approved through the CAB approval process,
2. Offers a minimum of 300 hours paid on-the-job training (OJT) hours through a Work Experience Education (WEE) program or equivalent,
3. Offers at least 144 hours of occupation-specific apprenticeship related and supplemental instruction (RSI) as part of a CTE pathway or equivalent,
4. When possible, offers a minimum of one college enrollment course (or equivalent) so students can earn early college credits,
5. Establishes an agreement with, and/or is incorporated into, a new or existing regional or statewide Registered Apprenticeship Program that allows program completers to receive advance standing for the 300 hours of paid OJT and/or 144 hours of RSI accrued during the CAB program.

The report further continues and recommends that “the youth apprentices in CAB programs should receive the same rights as any active registered apprentice in their ability to advance through the apprenticeship after high school and CAB completion. For example, if an adult apprentice was in good-standing and completed 300 hours of OJT and 144 of RSI, the registered apprenticeship program sponsor would be obligated to keep them active and supported for the remaining OJT requirement, to complete the full apprenticeship. Therefore, a CAB completer should have that same ability to continue on in the apprenticeship that the CAB is connected to.”

CYAC also states in the report that “a CAB graduate will earn a recognition from CDE and DAS for their accomplishment and have more options upon high school graduation. Through the experiential learning that happens in OJT environments, CAB graduates will have the opportunity to 1) continue with their apprenticeship pathway with their existing program sponsor, 2) work with their existing program sponsor to transfer to an adjacent apprenticeship program in cases where a CAB completer leaves the region perhaps for college and wants to

complete their apprenticeship, and/or 3) continue onto college on a full time basis and be better suited to select a college major based on the work experience gained through the CAB Program.”

As explained in the CYAC report, “a CTE connected pre-apprenticeship program is linked to a registered apprenticeship program through a memorandum of understanding and DAS linkage agreement, but is primarily a classroom-based training program and typically does not include paid on the job training. Pre-apprenticeships provide hands-on training to individuals in a simulated lab experience or through volunteer opportunities that accurately simulate industry and occupational conditions while observing proper supervision and safety protocols. While pre-apprenticeship programs often link to paid internships or educational stipends, Labor Code 3100 states that experience cannot supplant or reduce the compensable work of paid employees. Therefore, many pre-apprenticeships cannot offer paid OJT in the same way as CAB programs. For this reason, the CYAC found it necessary to establish a new model for school-based implementation.”

The CAB program would allow high school students to complete the first phase of apprenticeship (300 hours OJT + 144 hours instruction) while still in school. As the CYAC report points out, “DAS requires that programs provide at least 1000 hours of OJT, and most programs include at least 2,000 hours or more. For in school youth, it is impractical to complete these hour requirements in the confines of high school and therefore the program must be 3-4 years long, spanning the final 2 years of high school along with 1 to 2 years post high school.”

2. Author’s Amendments taken in Committee:

The author’s office planned on making additional changes to add legislative intent language and clarify a cross-reference code in the work experience education definition. Due to timing, we will take the author’s amendments as committee amendments. A mock-up is below.

Adds the following legislative intent to AB 805 and amends LC 3140, 3141, and 3142:

SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

1. 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.
2. Apprenticeships and other "earn and learn" opportunities provide students with valuable paid work experience, career-connected learning, and opportunities for economic mobility.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

[…]

LC 3140. (c) (1) “Work experience education” has the same meaning as defined in Section 51760-51769.5 of the Education Code. means a course of study that combines an on-the-job component with classroom instruction.

(2) “Work experience education” may be established by the governing board or body of a local educational agency pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 10070) of Subchapter 1 of Chapter 10 of Division 1 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations.

LC 3141. The Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program is hereby established, to be administered by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards. The division may work with the State Department of Education and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges in order: , for purposes of both of the following:

(a) To identify resources to support youth apprenticeships.

(b) To identify appropriate partnerships between local educational agencies, the State Department of Education, the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, and other state agencies and employers to guide and implement the program.

LC 3142. (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.

(3) A regulation may be adopted to prioritize outreach, recruitment, retention, and support for youth and young adults facing barriers to educational attainment and 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.

(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.

3. Need for this bill?

According to the author, “According to the recently released California Youth Apprenticeship Model report, less than one half of one percent of the workforce in the state is in registered apprenticeships, with California serving fewer than 100,000 apprentices per year despite the success apprenticeships have demonstrated in growing employee wages, saving costs for employers, and expanding the economy. Challenges accessing apprenticeships programs are most acutely experienced by youth and young adults, with the average age of an apprentice in California being over 30 years old. By advancing key recommendations from the California Youth Apprenticeship Model report, AB 805 will help advance Governor Newsom’s stated goal of expanding apprenticeship opportunities including through establishing connections with existing career and technical education (CTE) and adult education programs and fast tracking approval of these new pathways.”

4. Proponent Arguments:

According to the co-sponsors, the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color (ABMOC), California Opportunity Youth Network (COYN), and UNITE-LA:

“AB 805 advances several of [CYAC’s report] recommendations, including establishing a Career Apprenticeship Bridge (CAB) program to link career and technical education (CTE) and adult education programs with apprenticeship programs; establishing a process to expedite approval of CAB-aligned programs; directing the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) to identify local, county or regional intermediaries to support the coordination and establishment of apprenticeship programs; requiring DAS to submit a report to the Legislature identifying barriers to employer participation; and requiring reporting on outcomes on youth and young adults participating in the CAB program. Collectively, these policies will more seamlessly link existing CTE programs across systems, facilitate new apprenticeship opportunities for youth and young adults, and promote ongoing program quality and performance. For these reasons we are proud to co-sponsor AB 805, and thank you for your leadership in advancing this important bill.”

5. Opponent Arguments:

None received.

6. Prior Legislation:

SB 845 (Perez, 2025) would make several changes to the state’s framework for CTE and work-based learning, including: (1) revising the process for updating model CTE curriculum standards by requiring consultation with CTE teachers and labor representatives; (2) expanding the authority of local educational agencies, including state special schools, to offer and award credit for work-based learning activities beginning in grade 10; (3) establishing an interagency workgroup to develop occupational frameworks for youth apprenticeships; and (4) requiring the CDE to collect data on work-based learning participation, subject to an appropriation. This bill is pending in the Assembly Education Committee.

ACR 16 (Fong, Chapter 130, Statutes of 2023) declared the importance of creating pathways to success for California’s opportunity youth and the need to develop a statewide comprehensive plan that will reduce persistent economic inequities endured by California’s opportunity youth.

SB 191 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 67, Statutes of 2022), among other things, established youth apprenticeship as a key priority for the DAS, required the DAS to convene the CYAC, and established the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program.

SUPPORT

Alliance for Boys & Men of Color (Co-sponsor)

California Opportunity Youth Network (Co-sponsor)

UNITE-LA (Co-sponsor)

Alameda County Office of Education

Bay Area Council

California Alliance of Child and Family Services

California Chamber of Commerce

California Community Foundation

CAROCP- the Association of Career and College Readiness Organizations

Educational Results Partnership

Kincade Productions, LLC

Los Angeles LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce

New Ways to Work

NextGen California

PowerCA Action

Rancho Santiago Community College District

Reaching At Promise Students Association (RAPSA)

Redefine Alliance (REDF)

Society of Human Resources Management

Union Roofing Contractors Association

Western Electrical Contractors Association

Wonder Wood Ranch

Youth Will

OPPOSITION

None received

-- END --

1. https://www.dir.ca.gov/das/Youth-Apprenticeship.html ↑

2. California Youth Apprenticeship Committee, “The California Youth Apprenticeship Model,” 2024, https://www.dir.ca.gov/DAS/CYAC_Committee-Report.pdf ↑

3. https://www.dir.ca.gov/DAS/Grants/California-Youth-Apprenticeship-Grant.html ↑

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 805

Author:(Fong)

As Amended Ver:January 5, 2026

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Establishes the Career Apprenticeship Bridge (CAB) Program to be administered by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) for specific purposes, including to create pathways for preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs for individuals beginning in high school and connecting with college-level apprenticeships.

Major Provisions

1. Establishes the CAB Program to be administered by the DAS, for purposes of all of the following:
   1. To coordinate and establish apprenticeships for in-school and out-of-school individuals from 16 to 24 years of age, inclusive.
   2. To identify a process for approving industry pathways for preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs for individuals beginning in high school and connecting with college-level apprenticeships.
   3. To identify a process for approving industry pathways for apprenticeship programs for individuals who are in adult education programs.
   4. To provide paid training opportunities through preapprenticeships and supportive services to out-of-school youth.
   5. To establish a streamlined youth apprenticeship data system to promote data-driven decisionmaking.
   6. To identify resources to support youth apprenticeships.
   7. To identify appropriate partnerships between local educational agencies, the State Department of Education (CDE), the DAS, and other state agencies and employers to guide and implement the program.
2. Requires the DAS to do all of the following:
   1. Work with the CDE and the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (Chancellor's Office) to develop parameters and guidelines for the program consistent with the purposes specified in (1) above and the recommendations contained in the California Youth Apprenticeship Committee (CYAC) Report.
   2. 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 program.
   3. In consultation with the CDE and the Chancellor's Office, adopt regulations to develop a fast-track approval process for the pathways described in (1)(b) and (1)(c) above that are aligned with the goals of the program.
   4. On or before January 1, 2028, submit a report to the Legislature identifying barriers to employer participation and engagement in the program.
   5. On or before January 1, 2030, develop and maintain on the DAS' internet website a dashboard to track outcomes of the individuals participating in the program.

COMMENTS

The Legislature in 2022 passed SB 191 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review),Chapter 67 Statutes of 2022 which established youth apprenticeship as a key priority for the DAS and required that youth apprenticeship complement the state's existing registered apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs. SB 191 also required the DAS to convene the CYAC to develop recommendations for the expansion of youth apprenticeship in California and to memorialize those recommendations in a report, which was released in November 2025.

The CYAC report includes 18 recommendations for statewide system and resource alignments to make work-based learning and youth apprenticeship opportunities more broadly available for in-school and out-of-school youth, and to connect apprenticeship with economic and workforce development initiatives.

The Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program

One of the CYAC recommendations is for the state to create a new CAB Program that initiates the youth apprenticeship journey starting in high school and integrates Career Technical Education (CTE)^[1] into the apprenticeship system.

As explained in the CYAC report, "The CAB program would be the first phase of an apprenticeship, and offer students a way to gain paid work experience with aligned classroom instruction, which when possible, would confer early college credit while still in high school. It provides learners with an enhanced educational experience that embeds the apprenticeship model and allows them to start and complete a phase of their professional journey prior to high school graduation."

The report defines a CAB Program as "an apprenticeship-connected CTE program, registered with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, that:

1. Has been approved through the CAB approval process;
2. Offers a minimum of 300 hours paid on-the-job training (OJT) hours through a Work Experience Education program or equivalent;
3. Offers at least 144 hours of occupation-specific apprenticeship related and supplemental instruction (RSI) as part of a CTE pathway or equivalent;
4. When possible, offers a minimum of one college enrollment course (or equivalent) so students can earn early college credits;
5. Establishes an agreement with, and/or is incorporated into, a new or existing regional or statewide Registered Apprenticeship Program that allows program completers to receive advance standing for the 300 hours of paid OJT and/or 144 hours of RSI accrued during the CAB."

A CAB graduate would earn an official recognition from the CDE and the DAS and have more options upon high school graduation, including:

1. Continuing their apprenticeship pathway with their existing program sponsor and/or;
2. Working with their existing program sponsor to transfer to an adjacent apprenticeship program if the CAB completer leaves the region and wants to complete their apprenticeship and/or;
3. Continuing onto college full time and being better suited to select a major based on the work experience gained through the CAB Program.

Need for the CAB Program

The DAS requires that apprenticeship programs provide at least 1,000 hours of OJT, and most programs include at least 2,000 hours or more. This creates a significant challenge in implementing high school-connected youth apprenticeship under current regulations, given that it is impractical for students to complete these hour requirements while also attending school. Currently an apprenticeship program that started in high school would likely require at least an additional year after high school graduation for the apprentice to complete the full apprenticeship. CAB programs offer a solution in that they would be three- to four-years long, starting during the final two years of high school along with one to two years post-high school.

CAB versus pre-apprenticeship:

As stated in the CYAC report, "By comparison, a CTE connected pre-apprenticeship program is… primarily a classroom-based training program and typically does not include paid on the job training. Pre-apprenticeships provide hands-on training to individuals in a simulated lab experience or through volunteer opportunities that accurately simulate industry and occupational conditions while observing proper supervision and safety protocols. While pre-apprenticeship programs often link to paid internships or educational stipends, Labor Code 3100 states that experience cannot supplant or reduce the compensable work of paid employees. Therefore, many pre-apprenticeships cannot offer paid OJT in the same way as CAB programs. For this reason, the CYAC found it necessary to establish a new model for school-based implementation."

According to the Author

"Over the last several years, the Legislature has elevated attention on a population of youth who are frequently forgotten. Commonly referred to as Opportunity Youth, this population of young Californians ages 16 through 24 are not in school or employed. Some may live in disadvantaged communities, are involved in the juvenile justice system, or are in the child welfare system. The Legislature has also elevated apprenticeship programs that have a proven track record of helping individuals land good paying jobs and careers. In 2022, the Legislature provided funding for a grant program to develop youth apprenticeship programs, and required the Division of Apprenticeship Standards to convene a committee of diverse individuals to develop recommendations to expand apprenticeship opportunities through a coordinated system beginning in high school and linked to college level programs. This bill sets up a structure to implement some of the recommendations from the report. All youth are important and should have opportunities to succeed, including Opportunity Youth."

With regards to how the bill promotes equity solutions (HR 39, Gipson, 2021), the author adds that "this bill helps facilitate more equitable access for youth and young adults to apprenticeship programs, developing new opportunities to develop financially sustainable career pathways. It also helps support youth who are disenfranchised or at risk. According to a recent PPIC report, males make up a majority of those who are not in school or working between the ages of 16 and 20, and black and Latinos had higher rates at ages 20 and 24 than their white and Asian peers."

Arguments in Support

The Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) states in support that "California employers continue to struggle to fill open roles. SHRM's 2025 Talent Trends Survey finds that 69% of organizations report ongoing hiring difficulty, while job requirements are shifting quickly—28% of employers now require new skills for full-time roles, and nearly half have updated existing positions to reflect changing business demands. Employer competitiveness increasingly depends on access to workers with relevant, job-ready skills.

AB 805 responds directly to these realities by establishing the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program, which would connect Career Technical Education, adult education, and registered apprenticeships into clear, structured "earn-and-learn" pathways. This approach allows employers to develop talent earlier, reduce skills mismatches, and strengthen long-term workforce planning while providing young people with paid experience, mentorship, and portable credentials."

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:

1. Initial costs of an unknown amount, potentially in the low millions of dollars, to DAS to develop the CAB Program parameters, regulations, report, and dashboard. DAS would also incur ongoing costs of a lower amount to maintain the dashboard and work with specified state and local entities to administer and support the CAB Program (General Fund (GF) or special fund).
2. Likely minor and absorbable costs to CDE and CCC to work with DAS on program parameters and regulations.
3. Annual GF cost pressures, likely in the low tens of millions of dollars, to DAS to create and scale programs for youth participants that meet CAB Program purposes, as prior state efforts to support youth apprenticeship and workforce training programs included budget appropriations of a similar scale. For example, the Budget Act of 2022 enacted the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program and provided $65 million (GF) over three years to develop or expand on existing apprenticeship programs for 16- to 24-year-old individuals facing certain barriers to labor market participation.

VOTES

ASM LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT: 7-0-0

YES: Ortega, Alanis, Chen, Elhawary, Kalra, Lee, Ward

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 15-0-0

YES: Wicks, Hoover, Stefani, Calderon, Caloza, Dixon, Fong, Mark González, Krell, Bauer-Kahan, Pacheco, Pellerin, Solache, Ta, Tangipa

UPDATED

VERSION: January 5, 2026

CONSULTANT: Erin Hickey / L. & E. / (916) 319-2091 FN: 0002230

1. According to the CDE, CTE is defined as "a program of study that involves a multiyear sequence of courses that integrates core academic knowledge with technical and occupational knowledge to provide students with a pathway to postsecondary education and careers." https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/ ↑

Date of Hearing: January 22, 2026

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 805

Author:(Fong) – As Amended Ver:January 5, 2026

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill establishes the Career Apprenticeship Bridge (CAB) Program to support apprenticeships for certain in-school and out-of-school individuals.

Specifically, this bill:

1. Establishes the CAB Program, administered by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS), to coordinate and establish apprenticeships for in-school and out-of-school individuals, ages 16 to 24 years old, among other purposes.
2. Requires DAS to work with the State Department of Education (CDE) and office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (CCC) to: (a) develop parameters and guidelines for the CAB Program consistent with specified program purposes and a November 2025 report by the California Youth Apprenticeship Committee (CYAC), and (b) adopt regulations to develop a fast-track process for approving industry pathways for specified apprenticeship programs.
3. Requires DAS to identify certain state, local, and employer partnerships to help implement the CAB Program.
4. Requires DAS to submit a report to the Legislature, by January 1, 2028, identifying barriers to employer participation and engagement in the CAB Program, and develop and maintain a dashboard on DAS’s website, by January 1, 2030, to track outcomes of program participants.

FISCAL EFFECT:

1. Initial costs of an unknown amount, potentially in the low millions of dollars, to DAS to develop the CAB Program parameters, regulations, report, and dashboard. DAS would also incur ongoing costs of a lower amount to maintain the dashboard and work with specified state and local entities to administer and support the CAB Program (General Fund (GF) or special fund).
2. Likely minor and absorbable costs to CDE and CCC to work with DAS on program parameters and regulations.
3. Annual GF cost pressures, likely in the low tens of millions of dollars, to DAS to create and scale programs for youth participants that meet CAB Program purposes, as prior state efforts to support youth apprenticeship and workforce training programs included budget appropriations of a similar scale. For example, the Budget Act of 2022 enacted the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program and provided $65 million (GF) over three years to develop or expand on existing apprenticeship programs for 16- to 24-year-old individuals facing certain barriers to labor market participation.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. According to the author:

In 2022, the Legislature provided funding for a grant program to develop youth apprenticeship programs, and required [DAS] to convene a committee of diverse individuals to develop recommendations to expand apprenticeship opportunities through a coordinated system beginning in high school and linked to college level programs. This bill sets up a structure to implement some of the recommendations from the report.

This bill is co-sponsored by the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color, California Opportunity Youth Network, and UNITE-LA, and supported by other community and workforce groups.

1. CYAC Recommendation: Create CAB Program. SB 191 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), Chapter 67, Statutes of 2022, established the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program to serve target populations and required DAS to convene the CYAC to develop recommendations for the expansion of youth apprenticeship in California. The CYAC’s November 2025 report provides 18 recommendations for statewide system and resource alignments to make work-based learning and youth apprenticeship opportunities more broadly available for in-school and out-of-school youth, including creation of a CAB program, which “would be the first phase of an apprenticeship, and offer students a way to gain paid work experience with aligned classroom instruction, which when possible, would confer early college credit while still in high school.” CAB students would earn official recognition from CDE and DAS and have more apprenticeship options upon high school graduation.

This bill requires DAS to establish and administer the CAB Program to coordinate and establish apprenticeships for in-school and out-of-school 16- to 24-year-old youth. However, as noted in the Assembly Labor Committee’s analysis of this bill, the “objectives and directives in this bill lack sufficient clarity for implementation.” Additionally, “this bill seems to incorporate into the CAB Program some aspects of the CYAC Report that are not part of the CAB Program recommendations…For example, the CAB Program is specifically for in-school youth, not out-of-school youth as described in this bill’s purposes.”

1. Related Legislation. SB 845 (Perez) makes numerous changes to the state’s framework for Career Technical Education and work-based learning, including authorizing CDE to form an interagency workgroup with DAS and CCC to establish guidance for school-based youth apprenticeship programs. SB 845 is pending hearing in the Assembly Education Committee.

Analysis Prepared by: Irene Ho / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: January 13, 2026

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

Liz Ortega, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 805 (

Author:Fong) – As Amended Ver:January 5, 2026

SUBJECT: Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program

SUMMARY: Establishes the Career Apprenticeship Bridge (CAB) Program to be administered by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) for specific purposes, including to create pathways for preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs for individuals beginning in high school and connecting with college-level apprenticeships. Specifically, this bill:

1. Establishes the CAB Program to be administered by the DAS, for purposes of all of the following:
   1. To coordinate and establish apprenticeships for in-school and out-of-school individuals from 16 to 24 years of age, inclusive.
   2. To identify a process for approving industry pathways for preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs for individuals beginning in high school and connecting with college-level apprenticeships.
   3. To identify a process for approving industry pathways for apprenticeship programs for individuals who are in adult education programs.
   4. To provide paid training opportunities through preapprenticeships and supportive services to out-of-school youth.
   5. To establish a streamlined youth apprenticeship data system to promote data-driven decisionmaking.
   6. To identify resources to support youth apprenticeships.
   7. To identify appropriate partnerships between local educational agencies, the State Department of Education (CDE), the DAS, and other state agencies and employers to guide and implement the program.
2. Requires the DAS to do all of the following:
   1. Work with the CDE and the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (Chancellor’s Office) to develop parameters and guidelines for the program consistent with the purposes specified in (1) above and the recommendations contained in the California Youth Apprenticeship Committee (CYAC) Report.
   2. 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 program.
   3. In consultation with the CDE and the Chancellor’s Office, adopt regulations to develop a fast-track approval process for the pathways described in (1)(b) and (1)(c) above that are aligned with the goals of the program.
   4. On or before January 1, 2028, submit a report to the Legislature identifying barriers to employer participation and engagement in the program.
   5. On or before January 1, 2030, develop and maintain on the DAS’ internet website a dashboard to track outcomes of the individuals participating in the program.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes the DAS within the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) 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. Labor Code § 3073.1.
2. Establishes youth apprenticeship as a key priority for the DAS and requires that youth apprenticeship complement the state’s existing registered apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs. Labor Code § 3120.
3. Establishes the CYAC to develop recommendations to the DAS on the expansion of youth apprenticeships in California and requires the CYAC to compile a report with those recommendations. Labor Code § 3121.
4. Establishes the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program, to be administered by the DAS, for the purposes of awarding grant funds to eligible applicants to provide funding for existing apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs or to develop new apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs that serve individuals from 16 to 24 years of age who are at risk of disconnection or are disconnected from the education system or employment, unhoused, in the child welfare, juvenile justice, or criminal legal systems, living in concentrated poverty, or are facing barriers to labor market participation (“opportunity youth”). Labor Code § 3122.

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS: The Legislature in 2022 passed SB 191 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), which established youth apprenticeship as a key priority for the DAS and required that youth apprenticeship complement the state’s existing registered apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs. SB 191 also required the DAS to convene the CYAC to develop recommendations for the expansion of youth apprenticeship in California and to memorialize those recommendations in a report, which was released in November 2025.

The CYAC report includes 18 recommendations for statewide system and resource alignments to make work-based learning and youth apprenticeship opportunities more broadly available for in-school and out-of-school youth, and to connect apprenticeship with economic and workforce development initiatives.

The Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program

One of the CYAC recommendations is for the state to create a new CAB Program that initiates the youth apprenticeship journey starting in high school and integrates Career Technical Education (CTE)^[1] into the apprenticeship system.

As explained in the CYAC report, “The CAB program would be the first phase of an apprenticeship, and offer students a way to gain paid work experience with aligned classroom instruction, which when possible, would confer early college credit while still in high school. It provides learners with an enhanced educational experience that embeds the apprenticeship model and allows them to start and complete a phase of their professional journey prior to high school graduation.”

The report defines a CAB Program as “an apprenticeship-connected CTE program, registered with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, that:

1. Has been approved through the CAB approval process;
2. Offers a minimum of 300 hours paid on-the-job training (OJT) hours through a Work Experience Education program or equivalent;
3. Offers at least 144 hours of occupation-specific apprenticeship related and supplemental instruction (RSI) as part of a CTE pathway or equivalent;
4. When possible, offers a minimum of one college enrollment course (or equivalent) so students can earn early college credits;
5. Establishes an agreement with, and/or is incorporated into, a new or existing regional or statewide Registered Apprenticeship Program that allows program completers to receive advance standing for the 300 hours of paid OJT and/or 144 hours of RSI accrued during the CAB.”

A CAB graduate would earn an official recognition from the CDE and the DAS and have more options upon high school graduation, including:

• Continuing their apprenticeship pathway with their existing program sponsor and/or;
• Working with their existing program sponsor to transfer to an adjacent apprenticeship program if the CAB completer leaves the region and wants to complete their apprenticeship and/or;
• Continuing onto college full time and being better suited to select a major based on the work experience gained through the CAB Program.

Need for the CAB Program

The DAS requires that apprenticeship programs provide at least 1,000 hours of OJT, and most programs include at least 2,000 hours or more. This creates a significant challenge in implementing high school-connected youth apprenticeship under current regulations, given that it is impractical for students to complete these hour requirements while also attending school. Currently an apprenticeship program that started in high school would likely require at least an additional year after high school graduation for the apprentice to complete the full apprenticeship. CAB programs offer a solution in that they would be three- to four-years long, starting during the final two years of high school along with one to two years post-high school.

CAB versus pre-apprenticeship:

As stated in the CYAC report, “By comparison, a CTE connected pre-apprenticeship program is… primarily a classroom-based training program and typically does not include paid on the job training. Pre-apprenticeships provide hands-on training to individuals in a simulated lab experience or through volunteer opportunities that accurately simulate industry and occupational conditions while observing proper supervision and safety protocols. While pre-apprenticeship programs often link to paid internships or educational stipends, Labor Code 3100 states that experience cannot supplant or reduce the compensable work of paid employees. Therefore, many pre-apprenticeships cannot offer paid OJT in the same way as CAB programs. For this reason, the CYAC found it necessary to establish a new model for school-based implementation.”

According to the Author

“Over the last several years, the Legislature has elevated attention on a population of youth who are frequently forgotten. Commonly referred to as Opportunity Youth, this population of young Californians ages 16 through 24 are not in school or employed. Some may live in disadvantaged communities, are involved in the juvenile justice system, or are in the child welfare system. The Legislature has also elevated apprenticeship programs that have a proven track record of helping individuals land good paying jobs and careers. In 2022, the Legislature provided funding for a grant program to develop youth apprenticeship programs, and required the Division of Apprenticeship Standards to convene a committee of diverse individuals to develop recommendations to expand apprenticeship opportunities through a coordinated system beginning in high school and linked to college level programs. This bill sets up a structure to implement some of the recommendations from the report. All youth are important and should have opportunities to succeed, including Opportunity Youth.”

With regards to how the bill promotes equity solutions (HR 39, Gipson, 2021), the author adds that “this bill helps facilitate more equitable access for youth and young adults to apprenticeship programs, developing new opportunities to develop financially sustainable career pathways. It also helps support youth who are disenfranchised or at risk. According to a recent PPIC report, males make up a majority of those who are not in school or working between the ages of 16 and 20, and black and Latinos had higher rates at ages 20 and 24 than their white and Asian peers.”

Committee Comments:

The objectives and directives in this bill lack sufficient clarity for implementation. Should this Committee approve the bill, Committee staff recommend that, in the future, the author add more detailed language mirroring the recommendations in the CYAC report, including specificity around program offerings, and requirements for applications and approvals.

Additionally, this bill seems to incorporate into the CAB Program some aspects of the CYAC Report that are not part of the CAB Program recommendations. Committee staff recommend that the enumerated purposes of the CAB Program reflect those in the report. If the author wishes to include other pieces, he could do so outside the parameters of the CAB Program in a separate section. For example, the CAB Program is specifically for in-school youth, not out-of-school youth as described in this bill’s purposes. Additionally, the stated purpose of establishing “a streamlined youth apprenticeship data system to promote data-driven decisionmaking” is not part of the CAB Program but is a separate recommendation in the CYAC Report.

Moreover, to fully implement the CAB Program, this bill would likely also require changes to the Education Code, which is outside of the purview of this Committee.

Arguments in Support

The Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) states in support that “California employers continue to struggle to fill open roles. SHRM’s 2025 Talent Trends Survey finds that 69% of organizations report ongoing hiring difficulty, while job requirements are shifting quickly—28% of employers now require new skills for full-time roles, and nearly half have updated existing positions to reflect changing business demands. Employer competitiveness increasingly depends on access to workers with relevant, job-ready skills.

AB 805 responds directly to these realities by establishing the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program, which would connect Career Technical Education, adult education, and registered apprenticeships into clear, structured “earn-and-learn” pathways. This approach allows employers to develop talent earlier, reduce skills mismatches, and strengthen long-term workforce planning while providing young people with paid experience, mentorship, and portable credentials.”

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

Prior and Related Legislation

SB 845 (Pérez) of 2025 would make several changes to the state’s framework for CTE and work-based learning, including: (1) revising the process for updating model CTE curriculum standards by requiring consultation with CTE teachers and labor representatives; (2) expanding the authority of local educational agencies, including state special schools, to offer and award credit for work-based learning activities beginning in grade 10; (3) establishing an interagency workgroup to develop occupational frameworks for youth apprenticeships; and (4) requiring the CDE to collect data on work-based learning participation, subject to an appropriation. Pending in the Assembly Education Committee.

ACR 16 (M Fong), Resolution Chapter 130, Statutes of 2023 declared the importance of creating pathways to success for California’s opportunity youth and the need to develop a statewide comprehensive plan that will reduce persistent economic inequities.

SB 191 (Budget and Fiscal Review), Chapter 67, Statutes of 2022, among other things, established youth apprenticeship as a key priority for the DAS, required the DAS to convene the CYAC, and established the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Alliance for Boys & Men of Color (Co-Sponsor)
California Opportunity Youth Network (Co-Sponsor)
UNITE-LA (Co-Sponsor)
California Community Foundation
Kincade Productions
New Ways to Work
NextGen California
Reaching At Promise Students Association (RAPSA)
Society of Human Resources Management
Union Roofing Contractors Association
Wonder Wood Ranch

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Erin Hickey / L. & E. /

1. According to the CDE, CTE is defined as “a program of study that involves a multiyear sequence of courses that integrates core academic knowledge with technical and occupational knowledge to provide students with a pathway to postsecondary education and careers.” https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/ ↑