Portantino Tech Career Pipeline Bill Approved by Senate Education Committee

For Immediate Release: April 27, 2023

Contact: Lerna Shirinian, (818) 409-0400

Portantino Tech Career Pipeline Bill Approved by Senate Education Committee

Sacramento, California – SB 480, authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – Burbank), passed the Senate Education Committee. The bill authorizes a unique partnership between high schools and the tech industry to better prepare students for the workforce. It is modeled on successful education programs used in South Korea.

“It is our responsibility to ensure future generations of Californians have the opportunity to achieve a middle class life,” stated Senator Portantino. “Our current public education system is not fully preparing students to meet the needs of the ever changing labor market. The South Korean Meister Program prepares high school students for jobs and provides a range of options for students who may not want a traditional four-year degree. We need to implement a similar program in California in order to prepare all high school students to enter the workforce.”

The South Korean government implemented the Korean Meister High School education system, which established a program that prepared high school students for the work force outside of “white collar” jobs. Students in the program participated in internships while attending school, which allowed them to gain the necessary skills and make connections that prepared them to enter the work force. The percentage of students who got well-paying full time jobs was over 90 percent between the years of 2013-2017.

SB 480 aims to adopt a similar program in California. The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to select three geographically diverse school districts to voluntarily implement a pilot program at one high school based on the Korean Meister High School system.

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