RCCD Participates in National Youth Apprenticeship Summit
12/23/2025
Riverside Community College District (RCCD) apprenticeship staff participated in the 2025 National Youth Apprenticeship Summit in Alexandria, Virginia/Washington, D.C., from December 4–5, 2025. The LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network, a sub-awardee to RCCD through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Building America (ABA) grant, also attended.
LAUNCH facilitated the breakout session Building a Youth Apprenticeship Movement: California's Blueprint for Scale and highlighted how LAUNCH, higher education partners, including how the RCCD colleges, and local high schools are forging a youth apprenticeship movement across California. Young people are earning meaningful credentials, getting paid while learning through apprenticeships, and accessing high-quality postsecondary and career pathways that open doors to long-term growth and success.
The summit was facilitated and hosted by CareerWise and the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA)–New America. More than 350 attendees from over 30 states were represented.
Leah Pineda, RCCD Apprenticeship Student Success Coordinator, said RCCD staff “gained practical insights, and strengthened partnerships focused on expanding high-quality youth apprenticeship pathways and improving student access to career-connected learning opportunities.”
A highlight of the conference was an evening networking reception at the Washington, D.C., Swiss Ambassador’s residence, hosted by the Embassy of Switzerland. Attendees heard from Swiss leaders, including Swiss Ambassador to the United States Dr. Ralf Heckner and Dr. Martina Hirayama, Swiss State Secretary for Education, Research, and Innovation, who discussed Switzerland’s approach to youth apprenticeship. The Swiss delegation shared insights into employer engagement and system integration, offering U.S. partners a unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of the Swiss model.
Participants also heard an inspirational speech from a local Washington, D.C., youth apprentice alumnus who is now a full-time product app developer for a global IT company. The speaker shared their apprenticeship journey and its impact on their career trajectory.
“Hearing directly from Swiss leaders about their national apprenticeship model underscored the global significance of this work,” said Jason Kennedy, RCCD Director of Workforce and Economic Development Projects. “The reception at the Swiss Ambassador’s residence offered a remarkable opportunity to connect with national and international partners, and reaffirm our commitment to developing and expanding robust youth apprenticeship programs for K–14 education in California.”
Published by External Relations & Strategic Communications