Employment: Preapprenticeship Pathways to Employment Pilot Program.

Senator Smallwood-Cuevas's proposal to establish a construction trades training program in California prisons would create new pathways for incarcerated individuals to pursue careers in skilled labor. The Preapprenticeship Pathways to Employment Pilot Program, set to launch by January 2028, requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to partner with the Department of Industrial Relations to implement training programs in at least one men's and one women's facility through January 2032.

The program would provide Multi-Craft Core Curriculum instruction to individuals within 24 months of release, covering trades such as carpentry, ironwork, sheet metal work, and operating engineering. Participants would receive classroom and hands-on training in construction safety, trade mathematics, and blueprint reading, coordinated with local joint apprenticeship committees. The program includes comprehensive support services spanning employment preparation, behavioral health, housing assistance, transportation, family support, legal aid, and basic needs.

Annual reports to the Legislature beginning January 2029 would track enrollment numbers, completion rates, apprenticeship placements, and program barriers across facilities. The Department must ensure equitable access while adhering to constitutional prohibitions on preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Successful participants would receive certification from approved training providers, positioning them to transition directly into union apprenticeships upon release.