California’s apprenticeship ecosystem is at an inflection point. As demand grows for clear, skills-based pathways into high-quality careers, states are being challenged to better connect K–12 education, community colleges, employers, and intermediaries. In California, one organization is helping lead that work at scale: the LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network.

CareerWise recently spoke with Natalie Weaver, Director of Programs and Projects, and Marisa Miley-Blanchard, formerly the Pre-Apprenticeship Manager at LAUNCH, about the organization’s evolution and its vision for expanding apprenticeship access statewide.

From Regional Project to Statewide Network

LAUNCH began nearly eight years ago as a regional effort in the Inland Empire, a large, fast-growing economic region east of Los Angeles, responding to a core challenge: California’s apprenticeship system was difficult to navigate for education providers and employers.

Early on, LAUNCH focused on centralizing standards, administration, recruitment, and marketing, while rethinking the role of education providers as core drivers of registered apprenticeship programs. As statewide interest in apprenticeship accelerated beginning in 2020, LAUNCH grew rapidly. In 2023, the organization transitioned under the Foundation for California Community Colleges, enabling expansion beyond the Inland Empire.

Today, LAUNCH has grown from a two-person team to roughly 35 staff members and operates as a statewide network built on collaboration and connection.

Centering Community Colleges While Building Earlier Pathways

LAUNCH’s core focus remains California’s community college system, which it sees as uniquely positioned to serve as a statewide apprenticeship engine.

“Our vision is to elevate community colleges into true American apprenticeship institutes,” Natalie shared. “They already have the infrastructure, reach, and trust of local communities.”

At the same time, LAUNCH has seen growing momentum in K–12, particularly around pre-apprenticeship.

“If we want equitable access to apprenticeship, we have to start earlier,” said Marisa. “Pre-apprenticeship helps ensure young people are prepared to access these opportunities.”

Equity is foundational to LAUNCH’s mission, with a focus on ensuring all Californians can access apprenticeship regardless of background or starting point.

A Bold Goal: 200,000 Apprentices by 2030

LAUNCH’s long-term vision aligns with an ambitious statewide goal set by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office: 200,000 apprentices in the community college system by 2030.

Reaching that goal requires cohesive pathways from K–12 into community college apprenticeship and clear systems that make apprenticeship accessible to anyone seeking it. Marisa described LAUNCH as a unifying force in California’s apprenticeship landscape, bridging systems and aligning partners to support learner transitions from education into career.

From Planning to Practice

That vision is increasingly taking shape through implementation. This fall, LAUNCH will pilot a pre-apprenticeship program with Long Beach Unified School District, designed to strengthen alignment between K–12 education and registered apprenticeship opportunities.

LAUNCH will also share lessons from this work at the Educating for Careers Conference in early March and participate in a statewide program planning convening later that month in Costa Mesa, hosted by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.

Building What Comes Next

At its core, LAUNCH’s work reflects a belief that apprenticeship will s쳮d when systems work together.

By connecting K–12 education, community colleges, employers, and intermediaries through a statewide network, LAUNCH is helping make apprenticeship a clear, accessible option for learners across California.