Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez will convene a Healthcare Industry Roundtable on Monday, April 20th, in Sacramento to work with healthcare industry employers, the California Community Colleges (CCC), the California Workforce Investment Board (CalWIB), the Division of Apprenticeship Standards at the California Department of Industrial Relations, and the Healthcare Workforce Development Program (HCWDP) and discuss the challenges and opportunities to train more workers in the healthcare field.
“Currently, California does not have sufficient capacity in many key professions and regions to meet current and future health workforce needs. And, with the record number of Californians now having access to health insurance, the need will continue to grow,” said Assemblymember Rodriguez. “We must work together to increase the number of healthcare industry employers that offer apprenticeship programs to train more workers with the skills and knowledge to fill this gap.”
Last year, Assembly Bill 1797, authored by Assemblymember Rodriguez, was signed into law requiring the California Workforce Investment Board to identify and develop apprenticeship opportunities in the healthcare field. This year, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of $100 million in American Apprenticeship Grants, an initiative to support the development and expansion of apprenticeship programs. In addition, the Governor’s proposed 2015-16 budget includes $15 million to fund the educational costs to create new apprenticeship programs that focus on new and emerging industries such as healthcare and advanced manufacturing.
“With the unprecedented availability of federal and state funds this year to support new apprenticeship opportunities, it is imperative to convene these roundtables to promote the new apprenticeship model. Apprenticeship programs are the key to training workers and meeting the industry’s need for a skilled workforce,” said Rodriguez.
The Northern California Healthcare Industry Roundtable will be held on Monday, April 20th from 2 P.M. to 5 P.M. at the CA Endowment Office at 1414 K St. #500 in Sacramento. The Southern California Healthcare Industry Roundtable was held on April 2nd in Los Angeles.