SB 628

This bill allows a high school senior to begin an apprenticeship program during

the student's senior year of high school.

Under current law, any individual 16 years of age or over may enter into an

apprentice contract whereby the individual is to receive from his or her employer, in

consideration for the individual's services, instruction in any trade, craft, or

business. That instruction must include a minimum number of hours of related

classroom instruction and on-the-job training.

Under the bill, a high school senior may enter into an apprentice contract if the

school district in which the student is enrolled does all of the following:

1. Certifies that the student is expected to graduate high school no later than

the end of the current school year.

2. Certifies that the student's proposed on-the-job training schedule allows

adequate time for the student to complete any high school graduation requirements

no later than the end of the current school year.

3. Agrees to award the student high school credit for the hours of related

instruction and on-the-job training the student completes during the first year of

the contract.

At the end of the first year of the contract, the student must have earned his or

her high school diploma or its equivalent in order to continue in the apprenticeship

program.