The Beginning Farm and Ranch Management Apprenticeship Program is a formal apprenticeship registered with the California Department of Apprenticeship Standards that combines paid on-the-job training with job-related instruction. The program lasts approximately two years, and upon completion of the Program, the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards graduates apprentices to a Journeyman level in the occupation of a Beginning Farm and Ranch Manager. Apprentices will complete 3,000 hours of paid on-the-job training and 250 hours of coursework. The curriculum includes a core set of classes that covers the fundamentals of agriculture in California as well as individualized coursework targeted to the apprentice’s career goals. The Beginning Farm and Ranch Management Apprenticeship Program is a Veterans Administration-approved training program, meaning eligible veterans may access VA benefits, such as housing allowance funds, under VA educational assistance programs such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill. In addition to funds from the VA, Veteran Apprentices receive one-on-one support from the Farmer Veteran Coalition and access to their services.