Apprenticeship Shines Bright in the Inland Empire

Over three inspiring days this October, the apprenticeship community came together for the Advancing California Apprenticeship Summit at the Riverside Convention Center.   Apprenticeship practitioners, industry partners, educators, and key stakeholders from across California gathered to explore innovative models and celebrate the remarkable growth of earn-and-learn pathways.

The Swiss Model

The first day kicked off with a powerful keynote speech from Katie Caves, the director of the Center on the Economics and Management of Education and Training Systems (CEMETS) at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. Katie shared the much-talked-about “Swiss Model” of apprenticeship—often cited as the “gold standard” of vocational education—where approximately 70% of Swiss students choose apprenticeship over traditional university pathways after high school.

Switzerland’s system is built on permeability, and this means having the ability to move fluidly between apprenticeship and academic tracks with no dead ends. Students aren’t locked into their initial choice; they can switch professions or pursue higher education at any point. Katie emphasized that apprenticeship and education must be seen as parallel, equally valued pathways rather than siloed “either-or” options.

Apprenticeship in Action

Day two of the summit transformed learning into experience as participants boarded buses for site visits across the region. In an impressive feat of logistics, groups toured UC San Bernardino, Riverside City College, and Porsche, among others. Participants met with apprentices, program sponsors, and coordinators, witnessing incredible work in IT, advanced manufacturing, and transportation apprenticeships.

The day ended with an engaging state panel discussion featuring DAS Chief Adele Burnes, who announced the third round of Apprenticeship Innovation Funding (AIF) awardees—$30 million, benefiting 70 programs, serving over 11,000 apprentices who earn an average of $50.29 per hour. Chief Burnes stressed the importance of continued public funding for apprenticeship to continue scaling toward Governor Newsom's goal of supporting 500,000 apprentices by 2029.

Employer Engagement

The message heard throughout the conference was clear: we need employer voices at the table to achieve our goals. While some employers attended the summit, their presence underscored both the opportunity and the challenge ahead.
Reaching Governor Newsom’s goal of 500,000 apprentices by 2029 requires thousands more employers to join us. The Swiss model reminds us that permeability is possible when industry invests in shaping educational pathways that serve their needs, while opening doors for young people and career seekers.

The good news? California has momentum. The summit inspired educators, policymakers, and industry leaders alike, demonstrating that we can build a system where people earn while they learn, move fluidly between education and work, and access careers without debt.
The Inland Empire showed us that the future of apprenticeship is bright—and that future needs employers joining educators, unions and policymakers as partners in this movement. California has already served over 230,000 apprentices, maintaining our position as the nation's leader. With continued collaboration and employer commitment, we can create a system that truly offers opportunity for all.

If you are interested in starting an apprenticeship program, please contact one of our consultants in your industry here: https://www.dir.ca.gov/das/das_contactUS.html  

December 2025