National Apprenticeship Week will take place from April 26 to May 2, offering workforce and education partners across the country a moment to recognize the enduring role of apprenticeship in building a skilled, resilient workforce. 

This year’s theme, “America at Work: Making America Skilled Again Through Registered Apprenticeship,” reflects the growing recognition of Registered Apprenticeship as a strategy for strengthening economic growth, supporting reindustrialization, and expanding pathways into high-demand careers.

Ahead of the national celebration, FoundationCCC, in collaboration with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (Chancellor’s Office), Rancho Santiago Community College District, and LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network, brought together 223 college apprenticeship practitioners representing 60 colleges from across the state for the Statewide Convening on Apprenticeship Pathways. 

The convening highlighted the Chancellor’s Office’s commitment to strengthening and scaling apprenticeship opportunities through coordinated statewide support. Participants engaged with leading experts, including Santiago Canyon College, Mapping Articulated Pathways (MAP), the Centers of Excellence, the Department of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS), and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), who shared practical strategies for developing and expanding Registered Apprenticeship Programs. 

Sessions explored effective program models, campus‑level planning around capacity and curriculum, the use of labor market information to guide decision‑making, and approaches to deepening employer partnerships. The convening reinforced the growing momentum behind California’s apprenticeship ecosystem and equipped colleges with actionable tools to advance high‑quality, sustainable programs.

The Chancellor’s Office and FoundationCCC continue to work together to offer a range of technical assistance and peer‑learning opportunities to support colleges in designing, implementing, and scaling apprenticeship and pre‑apprenticeship programs.

Grow Apprenticeship California: From Regional Playbook to Effective Practice

On May 1, FoundationCCC’s Grow Apprenticeship California team will host a virtual convening  titled Grow Apprenticeship California: From Regional Playbook to Effective Practice. The session will translate insights from the Grow Apprenticeship California 3.0 Regional Playbook into practical lessons for regions looking to plan, strengthen, or scale Registered Apprenticeship Programs. Through case studies, participants will explore what regional alignment looks like in practice, the role of Deep Technical Assistance in advancing programs, and how coordinated ecosystems better respond to employer demand while expanding access for historically underrepresented populations. Visit the event page for more details and to register.