Existing law provides for apprenticeship programs within the Division of Apprenticeship Standards within the Department of Industrial Relations, sponsored by specific entities and employers, and requires the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards to perform various functions with respect to apprenticeship programs and the welfare of apprentices. Existing law also establishes the California Apprenticeship Council within the Division of Apprenticeship Standards and requires the council to issue rules and regulations on apprenticeship standards and certain other topics, as prescribed.
This bill would require the Director of Industrial Relations, on or before September 1, 2026, to convene a task force to promote apprenticeship for all populations throughout the state, to be known as the Construction Apprenticeship Advancement Task Force, with membership as prescribed. The bill would require the task force, in consultation with specified entities, to study the recruitment, retention, and barriers to entry of women and other minority, underrepresented, and disadvantaged populations in the state for purposes of ensuring apprenticeship opportunities are more inclusive of those populations. The bill would require the membership of the task force to deliver a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, that details best practices to promote apprenticeship for all populations throughout the state.
Existing law requires the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, the California Apprenticeship Council, and the Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship to annually report separately through the Director of Industrial Relations to the Legislature and the public on their activities. Existing law requires the report to include specified information, including information on the number of individuals, including numbers of women, minorities, foster youth, and homeless youth, in apprenticeship, preapprenticeship, and other specified programs for the current year and in each of the previous 5 years.
This bill would expand the required information in the report to include information regarding outreach activities to recruit and retain apprentices from disadvantaged communities and underserved subgroups.

Statutes affected:
SB 550: 3073.5 LAB
02/20/25 - Introduced: 3073.5 LAB