San Luis Coastal Education Foundation unveils Trust Automation-funded apprenticeship and regional skills lab

Christine Robertson, executive director of the San Luis Coastal Education Foundation, told the board on Sept. 2 that the foundation is stepping up to sustain and expand programs during district budget adjustments and announced a privately funded apprenticeship pilot.

"Trust Automation is funding 100% of the program cost. They've pledged $750,000 to launch the program," Robertson said, describing a January start for a cohort that will run through May and use Trust operations as a satellite training site. Foundation staff said the pilot will focus on job-ready skills (safety, quality control, measuring tolerances), financial literacy, resume and interview training, and hands-on builds designed by Trust engineers. A foundation program lead said Trust employees will instruct builds and the foundation will manage student recruitment and logistics.

Speakers described early outcomes and employer commitments: the foundation said Trust expects four to five hires from the first cohort and plans to invite other regional manufacturers into the pipeline to expand opportunities. "We're hoping that we can build out the skill level of these students that will make them eligible or competitive for positions in the surrounding area," a foundation program lead said.

The foundation also described a new K-12 regional skills lab funded by the Governor's Jobs First Initiative and a package of 56 career-focused micro-simulations and three-minute spotlight videos showcasing local employers and jobs. Robertson said the regional model was designed to scale I Innovate lessons beyond the district to partner districts across the Central Coast and to surface local career pathways to students who may not otherwise see those options.

Board members welcomed the foundationsupport and asked about program scale and continuity; foundation staff said Trust is the exclusive launch funder and the program is designed to invite additional partners later. The foundation said it has already raised more than $5 million in community giving since it was formed and that, because it is a separate 501(c)(3), it has committed to cover full program costs for some cornerstone programs while the district makes budgetary adjustments.

Next steps: the foundation will recruit the pilot cohort, host family information events, begin classroom and industry outreach this fall, and provide progress reports to the board as the apprenticeship and regional skills-lab work roll out.