Dear County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and School Principals:

California Apprenticeship Summit (April 17, 2024)

I am pleased to host and moderate a California Apprenticeship Summit on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Sacramento. The focus of the Summit is to raise awareness of apprenticeship opportunities and career technical education pathways that connect California’s youth to high-wage opportunities in the trades.

Every student in California should have the opportunity to secure a stable future by learning a skilled trade. Exposure to a skilled trade can provide economic opportunity, the ability to make a good living, and union protections. At the Summit, we will share valuable resources for schools and families and support connections for California youth to high-growth, high-wage career pathways. These partnerships between public education systems and private industry are the foundation for a strong economy and community in the decades to come.

Panelists include:

• Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, Chief Officer, California Labor Federation
• Brian K. Rice, President, California Professional Firefighters
• Chris Hannan, President, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California

I invite all educators and labor partners across thousands of local educational agencies and all 58 counties to attend this event. We hope you will join us in person, but we are also offering a virtual option to attend via Zoom and Facebook Live. For location information and Zoom registration, please RSVP to attend via Google document at https://tinyurl.com/2024ApprenticeshipSummit.

For updates about this event and my strategic initiatives, please follow the California Department of Education Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CAEducation.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction