The commission may classify as apprentice positions certain positions where the principal requirement is that of learning to perform efficiently, by study and practice, specific duties concerning which a definite plan of systematic instruction and special supervision has been approved pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 3070) of Division 3 of the Labor Code for the designated trade.

The apprenticeship training plan adopted by the governing board of the community college district shall be approved by the California Apprenticeship Council for building and construction trades or by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards of the Department of Industrial Relations for other trades.

No assignment to any position classified as an apprentice position shall be allowed to continue beyond the predetermined apprenticeship period approved by the California Apprenticeship Council for building and construction trades and for firefighters or by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards of the Department of Industrial Relations for other trades, except that the community college district’s joint apprenticeship committee may approve retention of an employee as an apprentice up to six months beyond the predetermined apprentice period.

The selection of eligible persons shall be made in accordance with their position on employment lists established by competitive or qualifying examinations.

Section 88033 shall be applicable to apprentice positions. However, relative age may be considered as a factor in the ranking of candidates for apprentice positions.

Credit for prior training in a regularly indentured apprenticeship program shall be given to qualified candidates.

In all cases of apprenticeship probationary periods, the standards of duration and qualifications shall be fixed by the commission insofar as they do not exceed the maximum standards set up by the California Apprenticeship Council for building and construction trades and for firefighters or by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards of the Department of Industrial Relations for other trades. Termination for cause may be prescribed for any apprentice who fails to attain the predetermined standards of apprenticeship or for causes as prescribed by the rules of the commission.

The commission shall recommend to the governing board a graduated scale of compensation rates for the various levels of apprentices, taking into consideration the percentage relationship to the districts’ journeyman wage of the trade as provided in the statement of policies of the California Apprenticeship Council.

The commission may determine that promotional examinations shall be held for entrance into various levels of apprentice positions and entrance into journeyman positions in a skilled trade.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 704, Sec. 12. (AB 235) Effective September 22, 2018.)