Centering Communities Through Workforce Development
Strengthening partnerships to build a stronger workforce
At the core of California’s workforce lies the strength of its communities. This year, we focused on working directly with those communities and empowering local and regional partners to implement policies and programs that align with evolving workforce needs.
By supporting innovative collaborations and expanding capacity across systems, we’re helping create pathways that lead to meaningful careers and thriving communities.
Long Beach City College
Direct Impact and Engagement
Driving Opportunity Across California
We’re partnering with organizations and colleges across California to remove barriers to employment, expand education and career opportunities, and help strengthen communities in a rapidly changing economy.
This year, our focus on apprenticeships has been a top priority, connecting Californians to good jobs with family-sustaining wages and opportunities for advancement.
Our programs emphasize the importance of equity in apprenticeships and the value of community-based partnerships. Learn how we are expanding and scaling apprenticeships through innovative models and in new industry sectors.
Growing Talent in Underserved Regions
Expanding Behavioral Health Apprenticeships in the Central Valley and Mother Lode Regions
Through Grow Apprenticeship California, the Workforce Development team is helping expand access to high-quality careers in behavioral health.
With partners in the Central Valley Mother Lode Consortium, we’re supporting the development of a new psychiatric technician apprenticeship pathway. In May 2025, we brought together regional members, employers, and workforce partners for a hands-on workshop to shape apprenticeship standards, review program data, and build new partnerships.
What began as a local effort to address workforce shortages in a geographically vast region is now evolving into a scalable model to connect education and employment in behavioral health. This effort represents a significant breakthrough for the region in building sustainable partnerships. The collaboration offers new apprenticeship opportunities in behavioral health, enhances organizational capacity, and strengthens job placement pathways for Californians.
Bakersfield College
Empowering Communities Through Workforce Innovation
Through strategic partnerships, we are expanding access to education and employment opportunities and strengthening pathways to meaningful careers for Californians. In alignment with the Vision 2030 goals, we are supporting learners, nonprofit service providers, and employers across the state to build a robust and resilient workforce.
$15.1M
awarded by FoundationCCC to 72 innovative nonprofit organizations within the workforce system through the California Workforce Development Board’s (CWDB) Breaking Barriers to Employment Initiative, which helps individuals from economically overlooked populations gain the skills and resources needed to enter the workforce successfully, and the Student Training and Employment Program (STEP), providing year-round support to students with disabilities.
$22.6M
disbursed in wages to students and other community members through work-based learning experiences, providing vital economic and social mobility while supporting the workforce needs of our state.
BRIDGE
A Statewide Alliance for Educator Apprenticeship
In the wake of a global pandemic that placed new demands on the education sector, a unique alliance formed to turn challenges into opportunities and address the shortage of qualified professionals in Early Childhood Education.
The LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network (LAUNCH), a Collaborative Impact Partner of FoundationCCC, partnered with Careerwise USA, San Jose City College, Cabrillo College, Hartnell College, and the Bay Area Community College Consortium to develop and expand a program called the Bay Region Invests in Developing Great Educators (BRIDGE). This program is rapidly becoming a catalyst for transformative change, building robust pipelines for educators from early childhood education through 12th grade, alongside vital support roles including teacher’s aides and afterschool staff, directly aligning with regional and statewide workforce demands.
With LAUNCH’s leadership, the collaborative has secured a $1.5 million investment from the California Apprenticeship Initiative and is creating innovative, equitable pathways for individuals to enter and advance in education careers. By aligning regional priorities, institutional goals, apprenticeship standards, and state funding expectations, this first-of-its-kind initiative not only responded to a skills gap shortage—it redefined how apprenticeship can shape the future of California’s workforce.
LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network Highlights:
200+
actively sponsored nurse apprentices through partnerships with Bakersfield College, College of the Sequoias, Riverside City College, San Bernardino Valley College, and Victor Valley College, helping address California’s nursing shortage while providing students with an earn-and-learn pathway to advance in the field.
$11.7M
raised from 21 funders since joining Foundation CCC as a Collaborative Impact Partner in January 2023, expanding apprenticeship opportunities and opening doors to career pathways for more Californians.
Turning Support Into Opportunity
Fresh Success Fuels Educational Access and Achievement
The Fresh Success program is a vital lifeline for low-income students and community members seeking to achieve their educational and career goals.
By combining the financial resources provided by federal food benefits with supportive services and educational opportunities, the program empowers students to gain important skills and persist through real-world challenges.
Fresh Success is a SNAP employment and training program coordinated in partnership with county human services agencies and the California Department of Social Services.
"I've been able to attend college because of the support from Fresh Success… This support has made school more affordable and allows me to concentrate on my classes."
"As a single mother, their support has given me a real chance to pursue my educational and career goals. I'm forever thankful."
Employment and Training Program Impact
2,000+
CalFresh recipients served this year, including 1,400+ community college students. These services ensure that all Californians have access to food assistance and wraparound support, while balancing the demands of school, work, and life responsibilities.
$1.5M
in direct support to individuals, helping participants overcome barriers to success by providing transportation, course materials, internet access, and emergency housing.
$12.4M
federal funds disbursed since 2016, to provider partners, supporting colleges and community organizations across California to expand SNAP employment and training programs locally and deliver services that help individuals receiving federal food benefits to gain education, training, and employment.