Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD) is firmly committed to ensuring its students are well-prepared for a happy and successful future. The recent success of this endeavor is due in part to the development and implementation of two competency-based, dual-registered youth apprenticeships for high school CTE students — the first of their kind in California.
Background
Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Pleasanton, California, faced workforce shortages, housing shortages, and skyrocketing costs. As a result, in 2022–23, conversations were initiated between PUSD’s Career Pathways and Adult Learning Department and the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce to brainstorm innovative solutions to these challenges that involved students.
Build community support.
The district has demonstrated a strong history of serving and supporting traditional apprenticeship programs in the building and fire trades. PUSD faculty contacted the California Department of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) to learn about requirements and relevant resources. The district also applied for and was awarded an initial California Apprenticeship Initiative (CAI) Planning Grant to hire a work-based learning coordinator and ultimately begin the work.
Further, due to professional connections in San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE), the PUSD team knew that the neighboring school system had established the first time-based youth apprenticeship in the state. PUSD contracted SJCOE for more information about the youth apprenticeship process. And SJCOE officials shared some valuable resources. SJCOE also connected PUSD with CareerWise USA, a national organization with a long history of supporting youth apprenticeship programs.
Putting all of this together, in 2023–24, the new work-based learning coordinator began to conduct preliminary youth apprenticeship development meetings with industry representatives and DAS.
The primary areas of need identified by employers were cybersecurity and robotics engineering.
To build their capacity in the youth apprenticeship development process and learn best practices for doing this work, the PUSD team attended the CareerWise National Youth Apprenticeship Summit in New York in fall 2023.
Then, by the end of the 2023–24 school year, PUSD had been awarded additional CAI grant funding. And they leveraged other state apprenticeship funding to hire an additional WBL coordinator to help expand the work. They were also invited to join the CareerWise Youth Apprenticeship Accelerator cohort to help scale youth apprenticeships in the state. This included participation in monthly meetings with other cohort members to share best practices and resources. As well as biweekly meetings with CareerWise staff for coaching and support.
Design a youth apprenticeship system.
The PUSD team and industry partners collaborated to identify the work processes, then developed and submitted the associated standards for the two apprenticeship programs — putting students first based on specific and intentional criteria:
- Must begin and end while the student is in high school or the summer following the student’s graduation from high school
- Must include competency-based — not time-based or hybrid — on-the-job training (OJT) because high school students cannot work 2,000 hours
- Must be supported by current (or available) CTE pathway courses offered by the district and taught by high school teachers
- Must ensure student completion of the associated CTE pathway for related supplemental instruction
- Must ensure student attainment of college credits via dual enrollment in an occupational work experience class at the community college level
- Strongly recommend the hiring of more than one youth apprentice to leverage economies of scale and best support student learning
- Should not last longer than one year or prevent students from attending college out of the area after high school if they desire
- Must not prevent students from participating in other extra- or co-curricular activities at school or working more than six to 10 hours per week during the school year
Bearing these criteria in mind, a team of dedicated education and industry professionals began to review current job descriptions for college interns and entry level positions in engineering and cybersecurity. Then they were able to create ideal job descriptions. Ideally, students would be eligible for journeyperson level jobs by the end of the youth apprenticeship program.
This iterative process spanned several months.
Next, the team researched and identified corresponding O*Net codes. These would serve as core competencies. Students must demonstrate proficiency or mastery through their OJT in order to successfully complete the program. Likewise, the core competencies had to align with the curriculum being used in their CTE classes for related supplemental instruction.
Then PUSD staff took the lead on incorporating the competencies and curricula into the official apprenticeship standards registration document in order to prepare it for final submission to the state. Submission occurred in December 2023, and they were officially approved in October 2024.
Subsequently, PUSD was encouraged to pursue dual registration with the U.S. Department of Labor so that participants would receive both state and federal certificates when they successfully completed the program. In like manner, PUSD was also encouraged to establish and register pre-apprenticeship programs with DAS for its youth apprenticeship programs. PUSD heeded this advice and ultimately obtained DOL registration in January 2025 then DAS pre-apprenticeship registration in May 2025.
Accelerate student learning.
PUSD officially launched two youth apprenticeship programs in June 2024. One in cybersecurity and the other in robotics engineering. These youth apprenticeships are structured to last one year, from June to June. Intentionally so that students can complete them by the time they graduate high school. It was very important that students be able to pursue any college and/or career of their choice with certificates of completion in hand.
Students begin on-the-job training the summer following their junior year. Then they can begin working full time in the summer prior to their senior year and enroll in the requisite college course for supplemental instruction. Then they get to part-time work during the school year while retaining their college course load.
When students successfully complete PUSD youth apprenticeships, they are awarded industry recognized skills and certifications from the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards and the U.S. Department of Labor that will serve them well whether they remain in California or relocate to a different part of the country. And PUSD celebrated its first two youth apprenticeship completers in cybersecurity in June 2025.
Conclusion
The lessons learned are many. And there is much more to be learned throughout this process. But it all comes down to patience, persistence and partnerships.
“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” This African proverb is very apropos. Because this journey is not for the faint of heart. But the positive impact on students, businesses, and in the community at large is priceless. Different things along the way will almost certainly take longer than expected, so pack your patience.
Surround yourself with champions who are committed to supporting you. And collaborate with people or organizations who have done this work before to leverage their resources and expertise. As illustrated throughout this article, strong connections between education and industry are critical for mutual success. All students should have access to high-quality work-based learning opportunities. PUSD is proud to share its story for others across the country to see, replicate, or improve upon in their own communities.
Amos Nugent III, Ed.D., is the director of career pathways and adult learning at Pleasanton Unified School District.
