Last month, FoundationCCC sponsored and presented at the California Workforce Association’s Meeting of the Minds 2026 Conference in Monterey, CA. At the event, FoundationCCC team members had the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise in workforce development. 

Notably, FoundationCCC’s Workforce Development Field Building team hosted the session “Co-Designing the Future of Apprenticeship,” which brought together apprenticeship practitioners including Local Workforce Development Boards, Local Educational Agencies, intermediaries, and regional partners to explore apprenticeship development and expansion through a design thinking-inspired approach. Participants examined the current state of apprenticeship efforts within their organizations and regional ecosystems, envisioned what successful apprenticeship systems could look like, discussed promising partnerships and practices, and identified the tools, resources, supports, and collaborative opportunities that would be most valuable for advancing regional apprenticeship efforts and informing the future of statewide apprenticeship development.

In addition, LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network (LAUNCH), a FoundationCCC Collaborative Impact Partner, hosted a breakout session titled “Mapping the System: How Workforce Boards Can Power Non-Traditional Apprenticeship Expansion,” to emphasize the importance of non-traditional apprenticeships and the value of community-based partnerships. In this hands-on idea-mapping session, workforce leaders helped build the playbook on ways to accelerate non-traditional apprenticeship adoption across sectors. The ideas generated will directly inform LAUNCH’s statewide approach and be carried forward into an ongoing virtual working group open to all participants.

The conference provided an opportunity to network with colleagues and bring attention to the important workforce development discussions that impact our students and our communities statewide. 

Learn more about our efforts in workforce development >