Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Oct. 20, 2025, the approval of $25 million in grants for 88 apprenticeship programs through the Employment Training Panel (ETP) that will train 22,208 California workers in the skilled trades.
Many of those who will join the apprenticeships funded are women, justice-involved individuals, veterans and people transitioning from unemployment or low-paying jobs. This announcement follows a $30 million investment announced in apprenticeship funding to fill high-demand jobs in health care, education and technology.
The ETP provides funding to California employers to upgrade worker skills for long-term jobs. The awards are funded by the Employment Training Tax on employers and do not come out of the state's General Fund.
"The state is building opportunities from the ground up, helping Californians earn high-paying jobs and gain competitiveness through hands-on learning, without the need for a college degree," Newsom said. "This pathway aligns with our goal of supporting 500,000 apprentices by 2029, creating a more equitable job pipeline for Californians across the state.'
"Apprenticeships aren't just a pathway to a job: They're the foundation for a lasting career," said Stewart Knox, secretary of the Labor & Workforce Development Agency. "These grants will provide thousands of Californians with the tools they need to build skills, gain stability, and step into careers that support their families and communities and bolster California's economy."
The construction industry, one of California's economic anchors as outlined in the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint, generates more than $156 billion in annual economic activity and employs close to 1 million Californians.
In addition, Labor Market Information Division data shows that careers in construction account for 12 of the 15 top occupations accessible with a high school diploma or less, making apprenticeships and careers in construction a reliable and accessible on-ramp to a high-paying career.
Apprenticeships are integral to the health of the construction sector as they predictably supply employers with a skilled workforce built upon a highly structured training system that is typically jointly developed by labor unions and employers based on the future supply of jobs.
The Employment Training Panel (ETP) has established itself as one of the premier resources for funding training programs across priority industry sectors. In 2012, ETP added to its funding portfolio the Division of Apprenticeship-approved apprenticeship programs as a pilot program with an initial amount of $6 million.
Since then, the program has grown annually and now allocates 25 percent — approximately $25 million — of ETP's total annual core funds.
Apprenticeships serve an integral role in California's Master Plan for Career Education by offering a pragmatic strategy for workers to become more competitive through hands-on learning that keeps pace with the dynamic shifts of the economy and industry demand.
