Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Fong

Creates the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program to coordinate paid preapprenticeships for 16–24-year-olds, administered by DAS, with industry pathways and a data system.

In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

#careerapprenticeshipbridgeprogram

Overview / Purpose

AB 805 would establish the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program — administered by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) within the Department of Industrial Relations — to coordinate and expand youth-focused preapprenticeship and apprenticeship pathways. The stated goals are to connect in‑school and out‑of‑school youth (ages 16–24) with paid training, supportive services, approved industry pathways, and a streamlined data system to support data‑driven decisionmaking. The bill also includes a legislative intent statement that the Legislature plans future legislation relating to college and career programs.

Key provisions

Adds Article 7 (commencing with Section 3130) to Chapter 4, Division 3 of the Labor Code to create the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program.

Program administration assigned to the Division of Apprenticeship Standards.

Specific program purposes (Section 3130):

Coordinate and establish apprenticeships for individuals aged 16–24 (in‑school and out‑of‑school).
Identify a process for approving industry pathways for preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs.
Provide paid training opportunities through preapprenticeships and supportive services to out‑of‑school youth.
Establish a streamlined youth apprenticeship data system to promote data‑driven decisionmaking.
Identify resources to support youth apprenticeships.
Identify appropriate partnerships among local educational agencies, the State Department of Education, DAS, other state agencies, and employers to guide and implement the program.

Includes a legislative intent clause signaling future legislation on college and career programs.

Who would be affected

Primary beneficiaries: in‑school and out‑of‑school youth ages 16–24 seeking career and technical pathways.

Educational partners: local educational agencies, State Department of Education, California Community Colleges, CSU/UC segments, and private postsecondary institutions that partner on workforce programs.

Employers and industry sectors that host or approve apprenticeship pathways.

Division of Apprenticeship Standards — charged with program administration, coordination, pathway approval, and data system development.

Implementation, funding, and timeline considerations

The bill establishes program structure and responsibilities but does not appropriate funding or create specific spending authorizations. Implementation would likely depend on future budget actions or supplemental legislation.

Digest information: Vote threshold — majority; Appropriation — no (no appropriation specified).

Legislative actions to date:

Introduced Feb 18, 2025; printed Feb 19, 2025.
Referred to Committee on Labor & Employment (hearings and amendments in March 2025). Last action: re‑referred to Com. on L. & E. on March 25, 2025.

Potential impact / considerations

Would create a statewide framework to expand youth apprenticeships and improve alignment between education and industry.

The effectiveness and scale would depend on resources, interagency agreements, employer participation, and the design of the proposed youth apprenticeship data system.

Further legislation or budgetary action will likely be needed to fund paid training, supportive services, and data infrastructure.

Bill