1. Apprenticeship Standards

California Youth Apprenticeship

California’s Next Generation of Skilled Workers

Young people today are seeking structured, affordable, and secure pathways into good paying careers—this is what apprenticeship offers. DAS is working to provide a statewide youth apprenticeship system that gives California’s youth access to high-quality occupations in all industries.

Find programs in advanced manufacturing, building trades, education, healthcare, IT, and many more sectors:

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California Youth Apprenticeship Committee

Comprising 19 members, the California Youth Apprenticeship Committee (CYAC) was established in SB-191, with the goal to advance youth apprenticeship in California. The committee was tasked with creating clear definitions for youth apprenticeship and high school apprenticeship, developing guiding principles for the Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program, and offering insight on the structure of the state’s work to expand youth apprenticeship.

CYAC has released the first comprehensive framework for implementing youth apprenticeship statewide. The report, The California Youth Apprenticeship Model, makes several recommendations to create an interconnected youth apprenticeship system that serves both in-school and out-of-school youth. These recommendations work to address California's critical skills gap, while providing alternate pathways to economic mobility for young people. 

CYAC Report: Key Recommendations
In the final report, CYAC recommends defining Youth Apprenticeships as:
An apprenticeship program that combines paid work experience with classroom learning to prepare young people aged 16-24 for successful careers. A California Youth Apprenticeship Program is registered with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards and:

  • Fulfills all existing registered apprenticeship requirements
  • Serves youth ages 16-24 at the time of enrollment
  • Offers related and supplemental instruction (RSI) throughout advanced Career Technical Education (CTE) courses, dual enrollment, or the equivalent
  • Complies with labor laws for minors and offers flexible work hours

Did you know? Apprentices earn an estimated $300,000 more than their peers over their careers, including wages and benefits.

Additional CYAC report key recommendations include: 

  • Career Apprenticeship Bridge (CAB) Program: Would allow high school students to complete the first phase of apprenticeship (300 hours OJT + 144 hours instruction) while still in school 
  • College-Connected Pathways: Integration with community colleges and California Apprenticeship Initiative programs 
  • Support for Opportunity Youth: Comprehensive wraparound services for disconnected youth ages 16-24 
  • Regional Intermediary Model: County, regional, and sector-based organizations to coordinate between employers, educators, and youth 

The above are recommendations of the CYAC Committee and not yet state policy.

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COYA-Grant-Program California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship (COYA) Grant Program

The California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship (COYA) Grant, administered by DAS, aims to develop and test innovative practices to increase the participation of opportunity youth in pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, and to demonstrate the impact of apprenticeship on employment and earnings outcomes for opportunity youth.

The objective of COYA is to expand relationships with community-based organizations and labor market stakeholders that serve opportunity youth who face barriers to labor market participation. Through these partnerships, DAS aims to uplift opportunity youth with the resources necessary to enter and thrive in high-paying careers.

California awards over $15 million to align disconnected youth with apprenticeships in high-demand fields

DAS Awards Grants to Boost Apprenticeships for California Youth

October 2025