State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Appoints California Apprenticeship Council Commissioner

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced today that he has appointed Jack Buckhorn to serve in his place as California Apprenticeship Council (CAC) Commissioner. The council meets quarterly to provide policy advice on apprenticeship matters, issue rules and regulations on specific apprenticeship subjects, and conduct appeals hearings regarding apprentice disputes.

Of the council's 18 members, 14 are appointed by the governor for four-year terms: six represent management, six represent labor, and two represent the public. The remaining four are ex officio members representing the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Chairperson of the California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee, and the Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations.

“Jack will utilize his strong leadership, management skills, and knowledge of apprenticeship training programs to serve the people of California in his role as CAC Commissioner,” said Thurmond. “Apprenticeship programs and workforce training help young workers—and workers of all ages—continue to learn while they also earn.”

Buckhorn had previously served as a CAC Commissioner since 2010, after being appointed twice by the governor to represent labor employees. He’s also the executive director of the North Bay Labor Council, part of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), and chief executive officer of the North Bay Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO. Prior to that, he was business manager and financial secretary for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 551, and a training director for the Redwood Empire Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee.

He completed his electrical apprenticeship instructor training from the University of Tennessee and holds an associate’s degree in science from Santa Rosa Junior College.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100