(a) The Division of Apprenticeship Standards, in collaboration with the California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (CAL-JAC), shall develop a statewide firefighter preapprenticeship program designed to recruit candidates from underrepresented groups.

(b) The firefighter preapprenticeship program funded by the division shall meet both of the following objectives:

(1) Create training and curriculum based on California firefighter standards designed to prepare candidates from underrepresented groups with the skills, competencies, and mentorship needed to pass the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT), and the written tests and oral components common to the California hiring process that are necessary for a candidate to be eligible for consideration and hire with fire protection agencies.

(2) Provide Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Training to candidates from underrepresented groups, preparing them to meet the necessary minimum qualification required by the majority of fire protection agencies.

(c) CAL-JAC shall deliver the pilot classes established through the preapprenticeship program using existing facilities and training models in order to minimize the costs of the program. CAL-JAC shall provide the preapprenticeship program model to fire protection agencies. That program may include curriculum, course set up and outlines staffing and equipment requirements, and recruitment strategies developed pursuant to this section. A protection fire agency may then use those resources to establish a local preapprenticeship program for recruiting candidates from underrepresented groups.

(d) The Division of Apprenticeship Standards shall provide the oversight and technical assistance in the development of this preapprenticeship program.

(e) For purposes of this section, “underrepresented groups” means groups that CAL-JAC determines are currently underrepresented in the firefighter profession.

(Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 344, Sec. 1. (AB 579) Effective September 28, 2017.)