Press Release: Colorado Workforce Development Council Awards Grants for Small Business Apprenticeship Support

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(DENVER) - The Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) is pleased to announce it is awarding $500,000 to 13 organizations with a Small Business Apprenticeship Support (SBAS) grant to support small businesses in their efforts to launch new or expand existing Registered Apprenticeship Programs.

Grantees can use the funding to hire internal administrative support, provide training for managers and/or mentors, or develop curriculum. Technical assistance will be provided through Apprenticeship Colorado, the State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) that is responsible for oversight and registration of apprenticeships. Apprenticeship Colorado's Program Development Team provides employers and new and existing sponsors with assistance in designing a high-quality Registered Apprenticeship Program from the exploration phase through program development to the final step of registration with the SAA.

The grant, funded by Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), will help these small businesses of 1-25 employees develop and train skilled workers tailored to their specific needs, improve job quality, and invest in apprenticeship programs while significantly reducing the financial burden associated with hiring and training new employees.

Well-trained apprentices can quickly become productive members of the team, contributing to innovation and competitiveness, as well as creating a continuous pipeline of skilled workers who are already familiar with the business's culture and processes. Apprentices benefit from a quality job that incorporates structured wage progression, career pathway development, and mentoring, which in turn, lowers the turnover rate for employers. By expanding and growing apprenticeship programs, small businesses can simplify future hiring needs and ensure a steady supply of qualified employees.

The cohort of grantees include:

About the CWDC's work related to covid-19 stimulus funding

Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) originate from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). These funds aim to assist Coloradans who lost their jobs during the pandemic, experienced another type of negative economic impact, as well as those seeking to advance in their current roles or change careers entirely.

The CWDC has stewarded a $60 million package of SLFRF money funded through Colorado House Bill 21-1264. The work supported by these funds has served 12,594 individuals through Reskilling, Upskilling, and Next Skilling programs at local workforce centers and community-based organizations throughout the state, as well as workforce innovation initiatives-including the Career Navigation and Career Coaching Collaborative, Trade Association Training programs, regional Sector Partnership staffing support, and grants to increase capacity across the state to strengthen training programs and help nonprofit providers and other organizations receive public funding.

The bill's goal is to provide aid for economic recovery to the people, businesses, and industries most impacted by COVID-19, and aims to improve outcomes for learners and workers and help prepare Coloradans for well-paying, quality jobs of the future. The bill directs funds to individuals who were negatively affected by the pandemic, and emphasizes equity to underserved communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic including Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities, people with disabilities, New Americans, justice-involved individuals, older workers; there's also an emphasis on supporting small businesses.

The Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) is a Governor-appointed, business-led, public-private partnership with the purpose to advise, oversee, and integrate the work of the Colorado talent development network.

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Resources Mentioned

Apprenticeship Colorado
Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)

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