Hiring Apprentices and Journeymen
California’s Skilled and Trained Workforce Requirements mandate, for certain public projects, that 100% of craftworkers be an apprentice or a skilled journeyman, and a significant percentage (up to 60%) of those be graduated from a state certified apprenticeship program. (Pub. Contract Code § 2601).
Understanding the Requirements
In recent years, statutes have been added to state law that set a minimum for journey-persons on a job, who can show proof of graduation from an apprenticeship program. As of January 1, 2020 there are additional public works jobs covered under Skilled and Trained Workforce statutes and for some trades. 60% of all journey-persons will be required to have a graduation certificate from their apprenticeable trade.
At present, California’s Skilled and Trained Workforce requirements already apply to:
- School district (K-12) design build projects $1 Million or greater
- School district (K-12) lease/leaseback projects
- Local agency & other specified state agency design build projects over $1 Million
- City of San Diego CM At-Risk projects over $25 Million
- LAUSD Best Value projects larger over $1 Million
- Alameda, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Solano & Yuba County Best Value projects of $1 Million or greater
- SANDAG, MTS, and NCTD projects $1 Million or greater
In 2019, the state legislature passed, and the Governor approved, several additional statutes requiring a statutorily defined Skilled and Trained Workforce, including:
- AB 356 (D, Santiago) Los Angeles Community College District: Best Value procurement pilot program. Projects over $1,000,000
- AB 695 (D, Medina) Community college facilities design-build contracts
- AB 1752 (D, Petrie-Norris) South Coast Water District. Doheny Ocean Desalination Project
- AB 1413 (D, Gloria) Transportation transactions and use taxes: County of Placer, the Solano Transportation Improvement Agency, San Diego County, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, and the North County Transit District
State law will continue to require that 30% of journeypersons in the following apprenticeable trades have graduated from an approved apprenticeship program on the covered work:
- Acoustical Installer
- Bricklayer
- Carpenter
- Cement Mason
- Drywall Installer or Lather
- Marble Mason
- Finisher
- Systems Installer
- Operating Engineer
- Pile Driver
- Plasterer
- Roofer
- Waterproofer
- Stone Mason
- Surveyor
- Terrazzo Worker or Finisher
As of January 2020, however, the apprentice graduation requirement for all other apprenticeable crafts on covered work, including Laborers, will increase to 60% of journeymen.
Compliance and Penalties
- On applicable work, the contractor must provide a report to the awarding body demonstrating compliance on a monthly basis
- The awarding body can withhold payments until a complete report is provided
- Further, the State Labor Commissioner can assess penalties of up to $5,000 per month for work performed in violation of this chapter. For a second or subsequent violation(s) within a three-year period, the penalty increases to $10,000 per month for work performed
- When violations are considered “willful” or “with intent to defraud”, the penalty assessed by the Labor Commissioner can include debarment
Resources (Downloads)
- Northern and Southern California Skilled and Trained Workforce Matrix – Accelerated Training Programs by Union Craft
- Listing of public works projects and apprenticeship graduation requirements for skilled and trained
- Subcontractor Affidavit of compliance
- Monthly report to document apprentice graduate compliance
Accelerated Training Programs
Determine which accelerated apprenticeship training programs are available in your region. Find your trade below to get started!
Programos de Formacion Acelarada
Determine qué programas de capacitación acelerada están disponibles en su región. ¡Busque su oficio a continuación para empezar!
2025 Legacy Sponsors
