On May 9, 2025, the Office of Cradle-to-Career Data Governing Board voted to expand the California Cradle-to-Career Data System. In the largest expansion to date, Cradle-to-Career will now include the Labor and Workforce Development Agency’s California Workforce Development Board and Employment Training Panel to its list of data partners. Additionally, the Cradle-to-Career Data System will include crucial labor data to help Californians better understand how job training programs are equipping the state’s future workforce.
“The California Cradle-to-Career Data System is expanding in meaningful ways to provide insights and data-informed decision making for all Californians. Including more labor training data and adding LWDA’s California Workforce Development Board and Employment Training Panel as C2C data partners provides an incredible opportunity for the state’s leaders to better understand how training programs are impacting Californians’ trajectories towards fulfilling and meaningful careers,” said Mary Ann Bates, Executive Director at the Office of Cradle-to-Career Data. “We at Cradle-to-Career are eager to work with our new LWDA data partners to fulfill the promises of the California Cradle-to-Career Data System.”
“The Labor and Workforce Development Agency continues to join forces with the California Cradle-to-Career Data System to better serve our state’s residents with necessary resources to access higher paying jobs and rewarding careers for the future,” said Labor and Workforce Development Agency Secretary Stewart Knox. “I commend Cradle-to-Career’s Governing Board for approving the addition of vital labor training data from LWDA into the data system and adding LWDA’s California Workforce Development Board and Employment Training Panel as new data partners. With the addition of workforce training data points into Cradle-to-Career, we can better understand how different training programs are meeting the needs of California’s workforce.”
“Combining the apprenticeship data set into this Cradle to Career data set is sure to dramatically improve the data picture as to how our education and workforce system is really preparing people for careers, and ultimately building a thriving California economy,” said Adele Burnes, Chief, Division of Apprenticeship Standards.
“The California Workforce Development Board’s mission is to improve the workforce development system. The Cradle-to-Career combination of data sets will improve our ability to inform our partners critical in developing the skills needed by California businesses, so those with the most barriers to employment can access the supports necessary to establish and grow into family supporting careers,” said Kaina Pereira, Executive Director, Californian Workforce Development Board.
“This partnership is exciting because it allows for shared data between our departments to better understand and support the people we serve. By aligning our efforts, we can identify skill gaps, establish meaningful baselines and targets, and create more responsive workforce training and development programs. As we look ahead to ETP’s 50th anniversary, we are committed to being data-informed—ensuring our decisions help California businesses grow while giving workers real opportunities for career advancement,” said Tara Armstrong, Chief Information Officer and Deputy Director of Technical Operation Branch, Employment Training Panel.