Apprenticeship Innovation Funding Program: AgTech.

Existing law establishes the Apprenticeship Innovation Funding Program, to be operative and implemented only upon appropriation of funds by the Legislature. Existing law requires the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, within the Department of Industrial Relations, to administer the program to provide grants, reimbursements, or other funding for the support of an apprenticeship program or training of apprentices. This bill, during the first 5 years of the program's grant funding period, would require the division to prioritize at least 20% of grant funds to be dedicated to reimbursing wage loss of farmworkers transitioning to AgTech, as defined, or a related career, incurred while enrolled in a farmworker-related training program.