SACRAMENTO–Assemblywoman Laurie Davies has proudly announced that her bill, AB 2179, has passed and been signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“I’m excited to announce that the governor has recently signed this bill,” Davies said. It requires school districts to provide information on local apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs to parents of students in grades 11 and 12 at the start of the school term.
State law already requires students to learn about college admission requirements and “career technical education”—one of the pathways into the skilled Trades.
Davies’s bill drills down and requires a specific explanation of apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeships.
That’s a huge gain, said Ernesto Medrano, Executive Secretary of the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council.
“Families are enthusiastic about the Trades, but too often they think it’s a matter of knowing someone in the union in order to get in,” Medrano said. “That’s simply not the case. In fact, our local union apprenticeships are more accessible than ever, and many students will find there’s an apprenticeship program within a short drive from where they live.”
The same goes for apprenticeship-readiness programs. “We authorize more than two dozen of these, in places from the Antelope Valley to Santa Ana, through our Apprenticeship Readiness Fund,” Medrano said. “This is ideal for students and grads who may not be ready to commit to apprenticeship but want to get a taste of what it’s about.”
Davies said the measure is especially important as students look for alternatives to expensive four-year college degrees. “What was once thought as ‘high school to Harvard’ is now becoming ‘high school to hard hats,’” she said. “This common-sense measure builds on existing laws and ensures that families are aware of the valuable career pathways beyond traditional college roads. This helps prepare our students for a variety of career opportunities, supporting their future success and addressing the diverse needs of California’s workforce.”
Medrano noted that Davies’s bill won support from both Republicans and Democrats. Davies is a Republican representing California’ s 74th Assembly District, which covers Laguna Niguel, San Clemente, Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano in Orange County, and in San Diego County, the cities of Oceanside, Vista, and Fallbrook, plus Camp Pendleton.
The California Chamber of Commerce also supported AB 2179 as a bill that “will help small businesses and others with matters such as family leave, permits and skills needed by future workers.”
“Training our future union workforce should not be controversial or partisan,” Medrano said. “I urge all stakeholders to visit our apprenticeship programs and see our contribution firsthand.”Davies agreed. “This bill is about giving students every opportunity to thrive in California and I’m proud to have authored it.”