Amanda Hirschmann is a program manager for the Institute for Local Government; she can be reached at ahirschmann@ca-ilg.org.

California’s cities face a familiar but urgent challenge: too many hard-to-fill positions, too few qualified candidates, and a difficult budget forecast made worse by a wave of retirements and hiring freezes. One promising answer is hiding in plain sight: registered apprenticeships.

Not your grandfather’s apprenticeship

When most people hear “apprenticeship,” they think of electricians or plumbers. But California has expanded apprenticeships into non-traditional areas, including administrative roles in local government. These models, tailored to city needs, create pathways into finance, IT, administration, and other high-demand roles essential to municipal operations.

“We hear from cities all over California, and many are struggling to fill roles like accounting and cybersecurity with specialized skillsets or unique public sector training,” said Erica L. Manuel, CEO and executive director of the Institute for Local Government (ILG).

Some agencies are already using registered apprenticeship programs to address shortages in hard-to-fill roles and train existing workers. This earn-and-learn model creates a win-win scenario that supports local needs while advancing regional economic development goals. Metro, the transportation agency for Los Angeles County, pays its apprentices more as their skills increase. Data from Metro’s similar paid-training programs showed 60% completion and permanent hire rates and over 96% job retention.

For the past four years, Moreno Valley has partnered with an intermediary to fill roles in IT. “Through our apprenticeships in information technology and cybersecurity, we have created a reliable pipeline of skilled students for more than four years,” said Steve Hargis, the city’s strategic initiatives manager.

Under such programs, apprentices receive classroom instruction from a qualifying educational institution while gaining on-the-job training from city departments and subject matter experts. They leave with experience, a paycheck, and a transferable credential. The city gains a job-ready employee who can contribute during and after the program.

“[Our] apprentices contribute meaningfully to the city’s workload, while we provide them with professional experience and a broad view of IT career paths,” said Hargis. “The result is a program where our residents, the city, and the students all thrive together.”

Opportunities for cities

The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office is at the forefront of this expansion. The office recently reported nearly 100,000 registered apprenticeships statewide — about one-fifth of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call for 500,000 apprenticeships by 2029.

A pillar of that initiative is the California Apprenticeship Initiative grant program, which supports programs in cybersecurity, environmental technologies, and other public service fields. Apprentices who complete placements through the program show significantly higher retention and engagement compared to those hired directly without the structured earn-and-learn pathway.

“By combining rigorous training with employer-sponsored apprenticeship pathways, we’re empowering individuals to step into meaningful tech careers — and giving companies a dependable pipeline of talent built to stay,” said Joel Maier, president of Cyber Proud, which helps support the grant.

However, these roles need not be limited to the private sector. Local governments can play a critical role as employers and partners. There is also room for community colleges to align curriculum more closely with city workforce needs. The chancellor’s office and ILG are working together to help community colleges better understand city needs and career opportunities. This alignment ensures coursework matches regional demand. Community colleges can also support public sector job placement, with career centers serving as gateways to city vacancies.

Another key state program is the California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship Grant, which opens pathways for youth ages 16–24 disconnected from school or work. For local agencies, these programs can provide funding and a way to reach underrepresented communities while sustaining essential services.

“All of our local government jurisdictions are facing workforce challenges in terms of recruiting, hiring, and retaining employees … with major waves of retirements coming,” said Lucas Frerichs, chair of the Yolo County board of supervisors. “We see our apprenticeship pilot as another opportunity to reach out to a wide range of potential employees and raise the awareness of public sector careers, which are often quite good, meaningful jobs with the ability for advancement as well.”

The U.S. Department of Labor also provides grants, tax credits, and technical assistance to help employers offset training costs and scale programs. For cities, this support makes apprenticeships financially viable and complements state investments. ILG’s federal grant from the Department of Labor also offers employer incentives for cities that partner with ILG as an intermediary and register their apprenticeships federally.

Getting started in your city

While apprenticeship is a valuable tool for expanding California’s public sector workforce, it isn’t always simple. To help, ILG launched the Bridge Public Sector Apprenticeships Initiative to guide local agencies through the complex registered apprenticeship programs system.

For city leaders exploring registered apprenticeship, this three-step process can help:

1. Identify critical positions. Which roles are hardest to fill, entry-level friendly, and suitable for structured training?
2. Understand the landscape. Connect with ILG to learn the registration process, your role as employer, and available funding or incentives.
3. Build your program. Work with an intermediary like ILG to register with the California Department of Apprenticeship Standards or the U.S. Department of Labor. ILG also helps identify community colleges, workforce boards, and partners who can provide wraparound services to support apprentices.

Apprenticeships succeed because of collaboration. Intermediaries connect employers with stakeholders and guide the process. Community colleges and training providers deliver classroom instruction and a student pipeline. State and federal agencies ensure quality and compliance. Workforce boards and community-based organizations add soft skills training, program administration, and wraparound supports. Cities define roles, provide mentorship, and pay apprentices.

ILG helps align these efforts so that programs are practical, scalable, and locally relevant. “The cities we hear from agree that the future of California’s public sector workforce depends on our ability to innovate and open doors for people who might never have imagined a career in local government,” said Manuel.

Apprenticeships alone won’t resolve every workforce challenge, but they are a practical, proven solution that can help more people step into meaningful public sector careers with benefits and purpose. To learn more about public sector apprenticeships, visit ILG’s Bridge Apprenticeships website or contact workforce@ca-ilg.org.