Best Buy teams with Handy Foundation on California youth media careers program

Best Buy and The Handy Foundation are launching a California workforce pathway for young people ages 13-21, with training, mentorship and apprenticeship preparation in film, television and digital media. The program is expected to reach about 200 participants from October 2026 through September 2027.

Why it matters: - The program aims to connect California youth to paid career pathways in entertainment and emerging production technology. - It is built to move participants from early career exposure into credentials, hands-on training and Registered Apprenticeship preparation. - The focus on under-resourced communities targets barriers that often keep young people out of technical training and industry networks.

What happened: - The Handy Foundation announced a collaboration with Best Buy to launch the Creative Careers Workforce Pathway Program. - The program is for young people ages 13-21. - It will run from October 2026 through September 2027. - The initiative will operate through Best Buy Teen Tech Centers and The Handy Foundation's network of schools and community partners across California. - Enrollment information is available at HandyFoundation.com/Hollywood101.

The details: - The program is expected to serve about 200 young people. - Participants will start with Hollywood 101, an introduction to entertainment careers and production fundamentals. - Young people can then move into four training tracks: story editing, production coordination, audio production and podcasting, or virtual production. - Training will use industry-standard tools in project-based workflows. - Depending on the pathway, tools may include Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, Pro Tools, DaVinci Resolve, Unreal Engine, Autodesk Maya and Xsens Motion Capture. - The program includes employer-validated badge certifications. - It also includes pre-apprenticeship training, mentorship and preparation for Registered Apprenticeship Programs. - Participants who complete required credentials may apply for a 40-hour pre-apprenticeship boot camp. - The boot camp is designed to simulate professional production environments. - Career coaching, employer networking, studio and workplace visits, mock interviews and apprenticeship preparation are part of the model.

Between the lines: - The Handy Foundation already has an apprenticeship infrastructure operating at scale. - The organization has more than 400 active alumni. - The foundation has placed apprentices across more than 115 film and television productions. - It has also placed 95 assistant editors through California Film Commission Career Pathways. - The Handy Foundation is a U.S. Department of Labor and California Division of Apprenticeship Standards registered apprenticeship sponsor. - The organization has six registered apprenticeship pathways. - California has invested $1.223 million in the Handy Foundation's youth apprenticeship model through the California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship grant. - Best Buy's youth technology ecosystem adds reach and access points that can connect more young people to the program. - The partnership reflects how entertainment hiring is shifting toward virtual production, motion capture and AI-assisted, cloud-based and digital workflows, as described by Ri-Karlo Handy.

What's next: - Eligible participants will advance through the program based on skill completion, eligibility and readiness. - The stated goal is to create a clear route from a Teen Tech Center or classroom to an industry credential, then to paid apprenticeship and early career employment. - The initiative builds on earlier Hollywood 101 programming involving The Handy Foundation and youth connected to Best Buy Teen Tech Centers. - Best Buy and The Handy Foundation will use the program to expand early career exposure into more structured workforce preparation.

The bottom line: - Best Buy is pairing its teen tech network with Handy Foundation's apprenticeship pipeline to build a direct on-ramp for California youth into media careers.