CA AB2420

Defines "soft skills" as behaviors and competencies including social skills, oral and written communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, and self-regulation that enable workers to succeed in professional environments.

Explicitly includes soft skills within job-related basic and literacy skills training that the Employment Training Panel can fund as ancillary training to vocational skills programs.

Specifies that all customized training funded by the panel shall include general skills, including soft skills, that trainees can use in future employment.

Applies soft skills training eligibility to both new hire training for unemployed persons and retraining programs for currently employed workers.

Allows the panel to waive limitations on basic and literacy skills training, including soft skills, for special employment training projects in seasonal industries when necessary to achieve vocational training objectives.