Arts, Media & Entertainment

Career Education and Apprenticeship Initiatives

BRIC provides career-connected opportunities for students in public schools, removes barriers to entry, and supports young people from diverse communities in obtaining jobs across creative industries. 

Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship Alignment FAQs:

What is Pre-Apprenticeship?

Pre-Apprenticeship is a classroom-based career engagement program that aligns curriculum with industry competencies and embeds work-based learning as an instructional strategy.


What are BRIC’s Registered Career Pathways / Occupations?

  • CG Generalist - Animator, Rigger, Modeler

  • Concept Artist / Visual Development Artist

  • Game Designer

  • Graphic Designer

  • Marketing Coordinator

  • Production Manager

  • Storyboard Artist / Revisionist

  • Tech Artist

  • UX/UI Designer

  • Visual Effects Artist


How do school-based CTE Pathways become Pre-Apprenticeship programs?

K-14 educators can help their high school and middle school students get a head start on learning industry skills and building a professional portfolio that can open up a career path in Animation, VFX, or Games. Pre-Apprenticeship programs are designed to integrate with Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways in public schools. 

School-based programs must demonstrate course alignment to the CDE Career Technical Education (CTE) Model Curriculum Standards to be eligible for Pre-Apprenticeship approval.

These Curriculum Standards ensure students will:

  • Develop their creative and technical skills in visual development, animation, visual effects (VFX), and game design

  • Apply principles of art, design, and visual storytelling

  • Develop skills in 2D animation, 3D animation, and VFX

  • And work collaboratively in production pipeline environments


Who is involved?

​​The California Department of Education (CDE) established the Arts, Media, and Entertainment (AME) industry sector to support high school students interested in pursuing careers in California’s thriving creative workforce. The BRIC Foundation supports CDE with an industry advisory committee and workgroup dedicated to expanding AME apprenticeship in California schools. AME programs build on traditional arts programs to include industry training and a comprehensive career-readiness component. The sector has grown to serve approximately 250K students and is the largest CTE sector in the state of California. 

CDE has partnered with several other state and local agencies to establish the first-ever registered apprenticeship programs for the entertainment industry. In partnership with BRIC and CDE, the Animation, VFX, and Games Apprenticeship was co-designed by the Visual Effects Society's Education Chair, Arnon Manor, and WIA’s VP, Jinko Gotoh, and LAUSD Educator, Matthew Waynee.


What Pre-Apprenticeship Services does BRIC offer?

Students should be offered a continuum of work-based learning. Visit the Entertainment Equity Alliance Training Definitions Page to align activities with the BRIC definitions and continuum.

BRIC’s Pre-Apprenticeship services include:

  • Curriculum alignment 

  • Virtual Content

  • Educator trainings

  • Project-based bootcamps

  • Software trainings

  • Portfolio review sessions

  • And more

Need help aligning your curriculum? Check out this video resource from our partners at the AME Institute.


How does a school-based program become a BRIC Training Partner for Apprenticeship?

All Apprentices must complete a minimum of 144 hours of Related and Supplemental (RSI) instruction as part of their apprenticeship program. While RSI courses can be offered prior to employment, they are often completed while the apprentice is concurrently employed.

BRIC has created an RSI Guidance Document that outlines the classroom-based competencies required for each occupation. School partners must offer occupation-specific courses that build off of pre-apprenticeship courses. While pre-apprenticeship courses are not required, they provide students with foundational skills and knowledge to be successful with RSI.