State of California Employment Training Panel

What's New

Pending Regulations

The Employment Training Panel proposes to amend Title 22, California Code of Regulations Sections 4402.2 (Critical Proposal), 4406 (New Hire Training) 4409 (Special Employment Training Projects), 4420 (Literacy Training), 4420.5 (Safety Training), and 4426 (Training Agency Projects). In general, these amendments would clarify or change the regulation language and would eliminate requirements that are unnecessary or inconsistent with governing law. There is a 45-day public comment period from October 9 through November 23, 2009. For more information on this proposed action and the opportunity for public comment, please see the Notice and Initial Statement of Reasons.

Reduced Funding

Given a projected $17.6 million shortfall in the Employment Training Fund (ETF) for the current year, the Panel entered the September 25, 2009 meeting with only $6.8 million in available funds for 2009-10. As a result the Panel approved the following actions:

  1. Reduce all projects by 50 percent (with a floor of $75,000) as presented in September, and as will be presented in October.
  2. Deny requests for exemptions to the funding caps that were imposed by the Panel in August.
  3. Set-aside $1 million for Small Business proposals for the remainder of FY 2009-10;
  4. Set-aside $500,000 for Critical Proposals for the remainder of FY 2009-10.
  5. Apply the maximum substantial contribution to agreements and amendments (Phase II funding).

In addition, staff has begun taking administrative steps to address this deficit condition, by stopping acceptance of applications for FY 2009-10 effective immediately, except for federal funding sources (see below); and suspending the Online Registration, Orientation and Pre-Application processes effective immediately, except for federal funding sources.

Staff will work closely with stakeholders, including all pre-applicants and applicants in the "pipeline" to ensure as smooth a transition as possible to the adjustment in funding availability.

Alternate Funding Sources

At its September 25th meeting, the Panel approved guidelines for two programs to be funded from federal funding sources in the current year. These include:

  1. a. $5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds through the California Energy Commission (CEC) to promote skills development and career advancement in the state's emerging green economy. Clean Energy Workforce Training Program. Questions regarding these guidelines and how to apply for this program should be directed to ETP's Economic Development Unit.
  2. b. $3 million in ARRA funds, through the state's WIA formula funding, to target incumbent nurse training in the non-profit healthcare sector Non-Profit Nurse Training Program (Note: Pre-applications for this program must be submitted by November 1, 2009.) (Please note, the Panel is not currently accepting any new applications under this category of funding.)

It is anticipated that initial projects under these federal funding sources will be presented to the Panel in December. (Note: ETP's standard Agreement deadlines do not apply for applications under these alternate funding sources.)

Guidelines for the possibility of alternate funding from AB118 monies are also in development. This program would provide ETP with $5 million in FY 2009-10, to support the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, which was established by AB 118 effective January 2008. The program's goal is to transform California's fuel and vehicle types to meet the state's climate change policies. More information and guidelines for this program will be provided on this website as soon as it becomes available.

Green ETP

Each year, ETP identifies priority industries in need of training support for employees, which ultimately help keep California businesses competitive in a global marketplace. At the same time, ETP partners with public and private groups such as colleges and universities, technology communities, labor, local workforce investment boards, and other state entities to further expand funding workforce development and economic opportunities. Green technology has become a key industry to which ETP has approved training contracts and is expanding upon because of employment growth opportunities.