Regional occupational centers or programs: California Apprenticeship Preparation Program.

Existing law authorizes the county superintendent of schools of each county, with the consent of the State Board of Education, to establish and maintain at least one regional occupational center or program (ROC/P) in the county to provide education in career technical education courses. Existing law states the intent of the Legislature that ROC/Ps provide career technical and occupational instruction related to the attainment of skills so that trainees are prepared for gainful employment in the area for which training was provided, or are upgraded so that they have the higher level skills required because of new and changing technologies or so that they are prepared for enrollment in more advanced training programs. This bill would enact the California Apprenticeship Preparation Program Act of 2009. The bill would authorize an ROC/P, upon approval and certification by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to offer a California Apprenticeship Preparation Program. The Superintendent would be required to approve and certify an ROC/P as a California Apprenticeship Preparation Program if the ROC/P completes specified requirements, including, but not limited to, entering into at least one memorandum of understanding with a local Division of Apprenticeship Standards certified building and trades construction apprenticeship program, including state-approved joint labor-management and unilateral nonunion apprenticeship programs, for the provision of occupational and academic support that includes specified criteria. The bill would require the State Department of Education, in collaboration with representatives from building trades and construction apprenticeship training organizations, ROC/P faculty members, and ROC/P curriculum coordinators, to develop curriculum covering all aspects of the building trades and construction industry.