As used in this part 8, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) Department means the department of labor and employment created in section 24-1-121.
(2) Office means the office of future of work created in section 8-15.8-103.
(3) Program means the apprenticeship navigator pilot program created by the office of future of work in section 8-83-802.
(4) Rural school district means a school district that the department of education determines is rural, based on the geographic size of the school district and the distance of the school district from the nearest large, urbanized area.
(5) School district means a school district authorized by section 15 of article IX of the state constitution and organized pursuant to article 30 of title 22. School district also includes a board of cooperative services created pursuant to article 5 of title 22 if it is operating a public high school and includes the state charter school institute established in section 22-30.5-503.
Source: L. 2023: Entire part added, (HB 23-1212), ch. 197, p. 1002, � 1, effective August 7.
8-83-802. Apprenticeship navigator pilot program - navigator positions - report. (1) On or before January 1, 2024, the office shall create a two-year apprenticeship navigator pilot program. The purpose of the program is to increase awareness of registered apprenticeship programs among graduating high school students and to increase participation by individuals who are eighteen years of age and older but under twenty-six years of age in registered apprenticeship programs.
(2) (a) The office shall create two apprenticeship navigator positions within the program as follows:
(I) One apprenticeship navigator must be assigned to a rural school district, to be selected by the office, that does not have an established public or private apprenticeship navigator position; and
(II) One apprenticeship navigator must be assigned to a school district that is not a rural school district, to be selected by the office, that does not have an established public or private apprenticeship navigator position.
(b) Each apprenticeship navigator is a full-time employee of the office.
(3) The navigators shall:
(a) Develop informational materials regarding registered apprenticeship programs to distribute to students, parents, and school staff; and
(b) Hold events for parents and high school students in the navigator's assigned school district to raise awareness about registered apprenticeship program opportunities.
(4) To further the purpose of the program, the office shall:
(a) Utilizing the Colorado state apprenticeship resource directory established pursuant to section 8-83-308, create and maintain on the office's public website a job board for apprenticeships and quality preapprenticeships that is marketed toward and accessible to high school students; and
(b) Explore ways to incorporate registered apprenticeship programs into the state's career planning tools, including the department of education's individual career and academic plans governed by rules established by the state board of education created and existing pursuant to section 1 of article IX of the state constitution and the my Colorado journey platform administered by the state work force development council created in section 24-46.3-101.
(5) Upon completion of the program, the department shall provide a detailed report of the direct and indirect costs for the operation and administration of the program to the house of representatives education committee and the senate education committee, or their successor committees, to allow the general assembly to evaluate the efficacy of the program and its potential for broader application in the state.
Source: L. 2023: Entire part added, (HB 23-1212), ch. 197, p. 1003, � 1, effective August 7.