BRIC Apprenticeship

California

Hello and welcome to BRIC’s Apprenticeship Program in California!

BRIC Foundation’s Apprenticeship is a federally and state-recognized registered apprenticeship program that combines paid on-the-job training with mentorship and job-related academic instruction to support veterans, justice-impacted* individuals, and young people of all backgrounds in obtaining entry-level jobs across entertainment, media, and tech.

The goal of this program is to remove barriers to entry by creating new, alternative pathways into the entertainment industry.

*A justice-impacted individual is defined as an adult or juvenile (a) who is or has been subject to any stage of the criminal justice process, and for whom services may be beneficial, or (b) who requires assistance in overcoming artificial barriers to employment resulting from a record of arrest or conviction.

1,080 hours of paid, on-the-job (OTJ) training

Provided by at least one studio employer partne r and includes competency-based wage increases
144 hours of related supplemental instruction (RSI)

Provided by an RSI/training partner in a curriculum aligned with a specific career pathway
12 months of mentorship

Provided internally by a studio employer or externally by BRIC or an organizational partner (e.g. Television Academy, WIA, or Visual Effects Society)
An official certificate of completion

Often viewed as an alternative to a college degree

BRIC Apprenticeship Career Tracks in California:

CG Generalist
(Animator, Rigger, Modeler)

Concept / Visual Development Artist

Marketing Coordinator

Production Manager

Storyboard Artist / Revisionist

UX/UI Designer

Tech Artist

Visual Effects Artist

View apprenticeship program competencies

Graphic Designer

The Application Process:

1. Program Status & Key Dates

Applications for the 2026 Apprenticeship are now open!

We accept applications on a rolling basis. That means you can submit your application or update your existing application at any time and we’ll review it on an ongoing basis.

Our rolling submissions allow us to evaluate applications continuously, meaning the sooner you apply, the sooner you can receive a decision. By applying early, you have the opportunity to either secure your spot in the BRIC Apprenticeship Candidate Pool and get a head start on the screening process for employers, or have the opportunity to improve your application and resubmit it for consideration.

Applicants will be notified of their application status on a quarterly schedule:

Submission Deadline: October 5, 2025 → Determination: November 15, 2025
Submission Deadline: December 14, 2025 → Determination: January 31, 2026
Submission Deadline: April 12, 2026 → Determination: May 31, 2026
Submission Deadline: July 12, 2026 → Determination: August 31, 2026
Submission Deadline: October 11, 2026 → Determination: November 30, 2026

2. Eligibility

Eligible candidates must have foundational knowledge in one of the offered career tracks and be:

A current California resident,
18-24 years old OR a veteran of any age OR a justice-impacted individual,
And authorized to work in the US.

3. Gathering & Submitting Your Application

Select an Apprenticeship Career Track below and submit your application.

Your Application must include:

Your Origin Story - we support empowering perspectives and want to know what makes your perspective unique
One-page PDF resume detailing work, education, and software experience
Digital link to your Portfolio website that must include a minimum of 5 samples of your chosen discipline (ex. animation, storyboarding, etc.)
Cover Letter or Video Recording explaining why you want to be in the program

Questions? Check out the FAQ.

4. Applicant Screening, Apprenticeship Candidates & Placement

All applications are reviewed by BRIC’s leadership team on a rolling basis. Applicants will be notified by a member of the BRIC Team to inform them of their application status quarterly and qualified applicants will be placed into the BRIC Apprenticeship Candidate Pool.

BRIC Apprenticeship Candidates are placed into the Apprenticeship when an open position with a studio employer partner aligns with their application. Because BRIC assesses talent needs with studio employers on an ongoing basis, it may take some time until an open studio position aligns with a Candidate application. This may take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

When a position opens up with a studio employer partner, BRIC will reach out to Apprenticeship Candidates with the position details and help prepare them for the interview process. Selected Candidates will interview with the employer, and if accepted into the Apprenticeship, BRIC will reach out to coordinate official placement and onboarding.

View the Application for Each Career Track & Apply:

What we’re looking for:
- Experience with Maya and/or Blender
- Ability to create / work with a wide variety of 3D Assets ranging from environment props to character designs
- Modeling and Texturing experience
Please mention if you also have experience with:
- Rigging
- Motion capture
- Motion builder, ZBrush, Photoshop, After Effects, or Houdini
- Character & Creature Animation
Apply Here
What we’re looking for:
- Ability to sketch, ideate, and iterate characters and concepts
- Take your knowledge of story tropes, archetypes, and narrative devices of all kind to help improve the designs that go into our worlds
- Create designs using inspiration from historical, fantasy, sci-fi, mainstream trends, and/or pop culture references
- Experience working with Photoshop or other relevant painting/design tools
Please mention if you also have experience with:
- 3D
- Understanding of human and animal anatomy
Apply Here
What we’re looking for:
- Understanding of visual communication and brand identity principles
- Ability to create layouts using typography, imagery, color, and graphic elements
- Interest in researching user needs or audiences to inform design decisions
- Ability to take feedback and refine creative work
- Comfort working collaboratively and staying organized across multiple projects
Please mention if you also have experience with:
- Creating logos, posters, social graphics, brand kits, or other visual assets (school projects, personal projects, freelance work all count!)
- Developing style guides or brand guidelines
- Preparing files for print or digital production
- Using design tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), Canva, or similar programs
Apply Here
What we’re looking for:
- Understanding of marketing-related needs (coordinating advertising strategies, promotional campaigns and assets, market research)
- Knowledge of customer identification and target audience development
- Ability to think creatively, be highly organized, communicative, and work collaboratively
Please mention if you also have experience with:
- Developing promotional campaigns or materials (posters, digital content, etc. – personal projects, school projects, or work experience counts!)
- Conducting market research (surveys, trend monitoring) or analyzing campaign or sales data
- Experience with any marketing software, social media tools, or design programs
Apply Here
What we’re looking for:
- Understanding of production manager-related needs (scheduling, budgeting, projections, script breakdowns)
- Understanding of production pipeline and workflow within departments
- Ability to be highly organized and work collaboratively
Please mention if you also have experience with:
- Using the production planning process to set/meet project deadlines (personal projects, school projects, or work experience counts!)
- Experience using any production tracking software
- Administrative duties (e.g. facilitating meetings, taking notes, distributing materials)
Apply Here
What we’re looking for:
- Strong drawing/design skills
- Observational Drawings/Sketchbook samples
- Experience with Photoshop, Procreate, or similar software
Please mention if you also have experience with:
- Storyboard Pro
- Gestural drawing, the ability to draw very loosely and roughly yet with clarity in character appeal and acting
- Strong understanding of cinematography and narrative staging
- Versatile range of character-driven story sequences
Apply Here
What we’re looking for:
- Enthusiasm to jump into any pipeline whether it’s environment, character, or other artistic discipline
- Problem-solving skills and good communication
- Experience with 3D programs (like Maya, Blender, ZBrush) and Photoshop
- Basic programming experience
Please mention if you also have experience with:
- Game development with Unity or Unreal
- Coding/Scripting
- UI/UX design experience
- Rigging
Apply Here
What we’re looking for:
- Self-motivated and detail-oriented
- Good communication skills
- Should be familiar with Adobe apps (Illustrator, Photoshop and After Effects)
- 3D experience (Maya, Blender, or ZBrush, etc)
Please mention if you also have experience with:
- Nuke, FumeFX, Houdini, Thinking Particles, Maya fluids, and rigid body dynamics
- Prior internship experience or classes in Graphic Design, Motion Design, Visual Effects, and/or Post Production
- The Red Giant / Maxon suite, Cinema 4D, Unreal Engine, or Unity
Apply Here
What we’re looking for:
- Interest in user-centered design and creating intuitive digital experiences
- Ability to create wireframes, mockups, or basic prototypes for websites or apps
- Understanding of user research, usability, or accessibility principles
- Ability to think critically about how users navigate digital products
- Comfort collaborating with others and incorporating feedback into design work
Please mention if you also have experience with:
- Designing website or app concepts (school projects, bootcamps, personal projects all count!)
- Creating user flows, site maps, or interactive prototypes
- Building or contributing to a design system (components, styles, patterns)
- Using tools such as Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch, or similar platforms
Apply Here

General Application

Update Your Profile

Application FAQs:

Qualifications & Eligibility:

Due to grant restrictions, this Apprenticeship is limited to current California residents who are: between the ages 18-24, OR veterans of any age, OR justice-impacted individuals – and authorized to work in the US.
If you are a current California resident, but are not in the Los Angeles/Southern California region, you may be limited to virtual on-the-job placement options.
If you are OVER the age of 24 and neither a veteran nor a justice-impacted individual, you are still welcome to apply. In this instance, you will be be added to BRIC’s general talent pool and may be considered for other opportunities that arise.
We plan on expanding this program in future years, so please stay tuned for more information.
This is not a dealbreaker. If you’re selected as an Apprentice, BRIC can help support your local transportation needs, such as providing LA metro passes.
No, you do not need to be a student for this program. The Apprenticeship is open to any level of education as long as you meet our listed eligibility requirements.
A key component of Apprenticeship is on-the-job placement and training with a studio employer, so it will be difficult to be a full-time employee elsewhere or a full-time student while this takes place. Depending on the studio, Apprentices generally work the same hours as full-time studio employees, up to 39 hours per week.

That said, we encourage you to still apply if you are graduating soon. Some students who only have part-time classes on certain days may still be able to work with an employer, but this will require a high level of self-discipline to succeed.

Applications & Portfolio:

Yes, but be sure that your application and portfolio are tailored to each specific track that you’re applying for.
This is the main component that reviewers will be looking at. Be sure to tell us about your background and the moment that made you realize your interest in your chosen field. This is an opportunity to tell us your story and about you as an artist. Where does your creative vision come from? What inspires you? What are your goals?
Please do not spend too much time on your video submission. The video submission is offered as an optional alternative to traditional application methods like a written cover letter. Think of it as alternate option for reviewers to get to know you!
Your video submission should include:
- Your name
- Your creator statement
  - an overview about your personal connection to pursuing your career in the arts
  - what inspires you as a creative
  - what your hopes are upon completion of the apprenticeship
- The video should not exceed 3-5 minutes in length.
- Zoom or phone selfie recording will work for this video interview
Overall, portfolio sites should not distract from the portfolio itself. Public sites, such as those built on Wix or Squarespace, or dedicated art galleries like ArtStation or Instagram, are all acceptable methods! However, we recommend against using Google Drive to display your portfolio as there’s a higher chance of reviewers encountering access issues.

About the Program:

This is a 12-month program that includes RSI (144 hours of related supplemental instruction) and an on-the-job placement. We are using a competency-based model, so apprenticeship timespans are dependent upon employer assessment of growth with a minimum timespan of 6+ months.
Your RSI (144 hours of related supplemental instruction) can be virtual, in-person, or hybrid. Many on-the-job placements are virtual but some may require you to be hybrid or in-person in the Los Angeles area.
Since we have many employers with different needs, hours are going to be based on what position you’re going for, and which employer you match with. It will be up to 39 hours a week during the placement.
At the time of this FAQ’s writing (May 2026):
- Minimum Non-union wage: $18.78 - $21.42/hr*
- Minimum Union wage: $27/hr
Halfway through the Apprenticeship, BRIC will conduct a competency assessment and if you’ve met half of your competency requirements, it will trigger a $1/hr raise. Once all competencies are completed, it triggers another $1/hr raise.
Actual rates will vary depending on the partner studio. Things such as union agreements or internal policies may impact final pay rates.
* $21.42 minimum non-union wage applies to the following career tracks: Arts Business Management, Graphic Designer, Marketing/Events Coordinator, Project Management, Teaching Artist, UX/UI Designer
Since studios assess their talent needs on an ongoing basis, we unfortunately aren’t able to provide a list of which studios will be sponsoring which positions in advance.
If selected, most Apprentices are matched with one employer at a time. However some Apprentices may be matched with multiple employers and will be lucky enough to choose in that case.
Because we are assessing talent needs with studios on an ongoing basis, you may not hear from BRIC until an open studio position aligns with your application. This may take anywhere from a few weeks to several months. When an employer’s talent request aligns with an application, BRIC will reach out to you with the position details, answer any questions, and help prepare you for the interview process. You will interview with the employer, and if selected, BRIC will reach out to coordinate onboarding.
During their on-the-job placement, Apprentices will work on real studio productions in their chosen career track.
The Apprenticeship is completely free for applicants! If selected, BRIC will help cover costs if needed (e.g. related software subscriptions, public transportation).

Contact BRIC With any questions

BRIC Apprenticeship for California Employers

BRIC believes that industry can help shape the workforce it needs. Custom training and mentorship creates truly equitable pathways into the industry, helping to diversify the workforce.

At no cost to Employers, BRIC serves as an Intermediary Program Sponsor offering:

Strategic recruitment and training services
Program administration from start to finish
Government-provided incentives
Wraparound services for apprentices (e.g. mentorship, transportation, equipment & supplies)

View the Apprenticeship Process with BRIC below.

Become an Employer Partner

Download: Overview of the Apprenticeship Process

Employer FAQs:

What is BRIC’s role?

At no cost to the Employer, BRIC acts as the Intermediary Program Sponsor to successfully facilitate the program from start to end. For the duration of the Apprenticeship, BRIC will:

Help with targeted recruitment to meet company needs
Handle data collection & reporting
Offer extended wrap-around services for Apprentices
Meet regularly with Apprentices & Employers to ensure the relationship is progressing on track
Coordinate the RSI with educational institutions
Coordinate the external mentor match & relationship