In summary
A panel of labor experts at the CalMatters Ideas Festival say California workers should have more access to more apprenticeships that pay more. Barriers still exist, especially for women and low-income Californians.
A key solution to California’s workforce woes is more varied, more accessible — and more lucrative — apprenticeship programs starting as early as high school, several labor experts said today.
“We have a lot of opportunity in California, but we have to make sure we have a workforce pipeline that’s well prepared and ready to go,” said Cesar Lara, director of workforce and economic development at the California Labor Federation.
Lara spoke on a panel at the CalMatters Ideas Festival who addressed the need for stronger workforce pathways as a way to bolster the state economy. While everyone agreed that apprenticeships are a crucial way to funnel workers toward well-paid jobs, they also noted a slew of barriers that prevent some people — particularly women and those who are low-income — from accessing those apprenticeships.
Money and childcare are big challenges. While some apprenticeship programs are well-paid, many are not. Those who want to enter the education field, for example, must pay for the on-the-job experience required to get hired.
“We’ve figured out how to pay electricians and plumbers while they’re training, but we expect teachers to work for free. That’s a problem,” Adele Burnes, deputy chief of California Division of Apprenticeship Standards, said during the panel discussion, moderated by CalMatters economy reporter Levi Sumagaysay.
Apprenticeship programs should offer flexible scheduling or stipends for childcare, Burnes said, which could make well-paying jobs available to more women. Although the numbers are increasing, women are vastly underrepresented in construction apprenticeships.
Parina Parikh, associate vice president of the nonprofit Jobs for the Future, noted a need for employers to broaden their scope in recruiting workers for well-paying jobs and apprentice programs. Employers should consider waiving college degree requirements for some positions, and consider offering jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities to people with criminal records.
As California’s economy grows, the need for strong apprenticeship programs in the skilled trades and beyond is crucial, especially for those who’ve historically been excluded from those jobs, said Megan Nazareno, senior program and data manager for the Construction Trades Workforce Initiative.
“Right now there’s a huge disconnect between the labor supply and labor demand,” she said. “But it’s even wider for disadvantaged communities. … We need to fix that.”
Near Sacramento, Sutter Health has collaborated with a local community college to train students for careers as nursing assistants, emergency medical technicians, radiation technicians and other healthcare professions.
The impetus was an abundance of hard-to-fill job openings, and no relief in sight, said Sutter vice president of external affairs Keri Thomas, who spoke on a second panel. More than 20% of the Sutter workforce is over age 56, she said, and not enough young people are pursuing careers in the healthcare field even as the need grows.
To spur students’ interest, Sutter offers scholarships to Folsom Lake College in Folsom that cover tuition as well as books and equipment, pays students while they’re getting their clinical training experience, and has funded a training center where students can gain practical skills.
Efforts start well before students reach college, an approach that’s shown to be effective in other fields, as well. In addition to promoting dual enrollment programs with local high schools, Sutter goes to middle schools — “planting the seed” by visiting classrooms and bringing middle school students on field trips to Sutter hospitals.
The partnership has made healthcare careers possible for countless low-income students who otherwise would not be able to afford it, said Art Pimentel, Folsom Lake College president. More than 20% of Folsom Lake’s students are the first in their family to attend college, and more than 60% are low-income.
“We believe college is for everyone, but not everyone needs a 4-year degree,” Pimentel said. “You can get a 1-year certificate from Folsom Lake College and make $30, $40, even $50 an hour.”
