California Employment Training Panel (ETP)
California Employment Training Panel
Varies by contract
CA pays for training — reimbursed after job retention
Performance-based reimbursement program that pays California employers for customized job training they design and deliver. Employers are reimbursed a fixed hourly rate per trainee only after the employee completes training AND is retained in a well-paying job. Since 1982, over $2 billion reimbursed to 100,000+ businesses. FY 2026–27 application window now open.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount
- Contract amounts vary; typical projects range $100K–$2M depending on trainee count. FY 2026–27 fixed-fee reimbursement rates apply.
- Realistic amount
- Smaller employers: $50K–$300K. Mid-market (200–500 trainees): $300K–$1M. Large employer consortiums: $1M–$2M+
- Deadline
- Rolling — FY 2026–27 application window open as of May 2026. Apprenticeship applications opened May 11, 2026.
- Status
- active
- States
- CA
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- Employer must pay California's Employment Training Tax (ETT) — this funds the ETP core program; nearly all CA employers subject to UI tax qualify
- Training must be customized to the employer's specific occupational needs, not generic coursework
- Trainees must be California employees (new hires OR incumbent workers)
- Employer must retain trainees in a qualifying wage job for a specified retention period after training (performance-based reimbursement)
- Training can be delivered by the employer, a training agency, or a community college — applicant can be the employer, a training agency, or a group of employers
- Small employers in high-unemployment areas receive additional ETP incentive weighting
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Training curriculum development costs
- Instructor fees and trainer costs
- Training materials
- E-learning and computer-based training delivery costs
- Productive lab training (learning on actual work equipment)
Ineligible expenses
- Trainee wages during training
- Generic off-the-shelf coursework not customized to the employer
- Training for employees not subject to California Employment Training Tax
- Safety training required by law (OSHA-mandated only)
- Training for out-of-state employees
How to apply
-
1
Contact ETP Economic Development Unit
Reach out to ETP's EDU team before applying. They will assess whether your training plan fits the program, help design a qualifying project, and guide you through the Cal-E-Force application system.
~3 hrs
-
2
Design customized training curriculum
Develop a training plan with specific skills, job titles, training hours per trainee, and expected post-training wages. ETP staff review for customization (generic off-the-shelf coursework is rejected).
~10 hrs
-
3
Submit application via Cal-E-Force
Complete the formal ETP application in the Cal-E-Force online system. Includes trainee roster, training plan, budget, and wage documentation. ETP panel reviews and approves contracts at bi-monthly panel meetings.
~15 hrs
-
4
Deliver training and document completion
Conduct the approved training. Track trainee hours and completion. After training, employees must be retained in well-paying jobs for the agreed retention period before reimbursement is triggered.
~20 hrs
-
5
Submit reimbursement claim
After the retention period, submit completion data and wage verification through Cal-E-Force. ETP reimburses the fixed-fee rate per successfully retained trainee.
~5 hrs
Reimbursement is performance-based — you train, retain, then get paid. Projects taking >6 months to reach retention often have cash-flow challenges; plan accordingly.
Deadline & timing
No fixed intake windows for core program — applications accepted year-round and reviewed on a rolling basis. Connect with ETP's Economic Development Unit before applying. Apprenticeship program has a specific annual window.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.