If you’re tired of hearing that you need a four-year degree to make decent money, California just rolled out some good news. Governor Newsom announced $37.2 million in new apprenticeship and workforce training funding that’s going to support over 60,000 Californians in learning actual job skills while getting paid.

Here’s the deal: the money is flowing through two main programs, the California Apprenticeship Council Training Fund and the California Workforce Development Board’s High Road Training Partnerships. Together, they’re creating what the state is calling “earn-and-learn opportunities”, which basically means you get trained while actually working and earning money. No crushing student debt at the end. According to the announcement, California has already created nearly 675,000 of these opportunities since Newsom took office, which is wild when you think about it.

The apprenticeships cover a range of industries you’d actually want to work in. Building trades are getting the biggest chunk of funding, $18.6 million is going toward construction-related apprenticeships in fields like electrical work, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, and sheet metal work. And here’s something worth noting: median wages in these trades exceed $70,000 annually. That’s the kind of income that actually lets you live in California without three roommates.

But it’s not just construction. The other $18.6 million is targeting training in healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and clean economy jobs. The state is specifically funding programs that work with people facing employment barriers, including opportunity youth, folks affected by natural disasters, and people transitioning out of other careers. One project is investing $3.5 million to help young people move into sustainable healthcare careers. Another is putting $3.5 million toward advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity training in San Bernardino.

This all connects to Newsom’s broader Master Plan for Career Education, which aims to create job pathways that don’t require a traditional college degree. The state is basically betting that connecting skills training directly with actual job demand in growing industries is smarter than the current system.

Look, we’re not saying apprenticeships are right for everyone. But if you’re someone who wants to build a solid career, get paid while you learn, and avoid student debt, this is worth checking out. The California Labor Secretary says these programs work best when education, industry, and workforce systems actually talk to each other, and that’s exactly what’s supposed to be happening here.

If you’re interested in exploring what’s available, the state has posted full lists of which organizations and programs are getting this funding. This could genuinely change the game for how people build careers in California.