Apprenticeship Program

Being an Apprentice

As an apprentice, you will learn at the job site from qualified journeymen and will study in the shop/classroom with experienced instructors.

Learn While You Are Paid

In addition to earning excellent wages and good benefits, apprentices are paid to learn complex and marketable skills.

• Beginning apprentices in California earn a base wage of $18 per hour, including benefits.
• After five years of apprenticeship training, the base wage increases to $45 per hour, including benefits, depending on the trade and region.
• Raises are given regularly according to negotiated contracts.

Agreements with Your Sponsor

An apprenticeship requires a signed agreement between you and the sponsor program.

• When you sign the apprenticeship agreement, you commit to participate in related and supplemental instruction as well as on-the-job training.
• You are expected to be at your assigned job, on time, everyday.

Certificates of Completion

Upon completion of your apprenticeship, you will receive a certificate of completion from Foothill College and a California Department of Apprenticeship Standards Certificate that signifies your readiness to begin your career as a journeyman.

We Produce Competent Craftspeople

The Apprenticeship Programs train men and women to craftsman status.

By participating in a program, local apprenticeship training committees shape applicants with character, aptitude, motivation and good personality traits into competent journeymen who have in-demand skill sets, comprehensive knowledge, positive attitudes and superior abilities.

The benefits of the Apprenticeship Programs include the opportunity to learn while you earn; state-of-the-art training; career advancement opportunities; excellent wages and benefits; safe working conditions; and pride and dignity.

Women Are Building a Strong California Too

The construction industry’s urgent need for skilled workers creates opportunities for women to enter and advance in the field. Jobs in the trades offer women the chance for meaningful work with high wages. A woman can expect to earn 20 to 30 percent more in a construction career.