(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA) - Early in January, Los Angeles was set ablaze with the largest fires in Southern California’s history. Nine fires burned tens of thousands of acres of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, destroying residences, businesses, and State Parks land, as understaffed Fire Departments scrambled to contain fires on both sides of the County.

Less than a month before the fires began, the Los Angeles Fire Commission (LAFC) filed a report to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, warning 2024 budget cuts to funding for Firefighters’ overtime shifts would severely limit the Los Angeles Fire Department’s (LAFD) capacity to prepare, train, and respond to large-scale emergencies.

Just weeks later, this prediction came true, with devastating results.

California desperately needs more highly trained firefighters.

Could Apprenticeship be a solution?

The State seems to think so and has undertaken several efforts to boost its Firefighting Workforce through Apprenticeship. 

Since 2019, California has trained 18,000 new Firefighters through State-supported Apprenticeship Programs as part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s pledge to create 500,000 new Apprenticeships by 2029.

Firefighting is the most popular Apprentice occupation so far, accounting for 10% of all Apprenticeships registered in the State as of July 2024.

Today, there are 12,000 active Registered Firefighter Apprentices and the majority of Firefighters in California are trained through an Apprenticeship Program. 

California’s Registered Firefighting Apprenticeships are led by the California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (Cal-JAC), working in partnership with California Professional Firefighters, California’s largest Statewide Firefighter Union.

Cal-JAC recruits Firefighter Apprentices, develops standardized training and acts as an intermediary for Apprentices and Fire Departments.

Cal-JAC manages Registered Apprenticeship pathways for Firefighters and EMTs.

Currently, Cal-JAC has nearly 200 participating departments. 

To Continue Reading This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Fighting Fire with Apprenticeship: Can California’s Workforce Strategy Help Combat Wildfires?