The youth apprenticeship program and career and technical education grants

1. Requires DWD to enter into contracts to facilitate the development of curricula for approved career clusters.

2. Requires DWD, in developing curricula for approved career clusters, to have at least one occupational pathway for each approved career cluster.

Local youth apprenticeship grants Under current law, DWD administers a local youth apprenticeship grant program. The program awards grants to local partnerships that consist of one or more school districts, other public agencies, nonprofit organizations, individuals, and other persons for the implementation and coordination of local youth apprenticeship programs.

Under current law, the maximum amount of a grant awarded to a local partnership under the local youth apprenticeship grant program is up to $1,100 per youth apprentice. This bill requires the grants to be $1,700 per youth apprentice.

Career and technical education incentive grants and completion awards Current law requires DWD to approve industry-recognized certification programs designed to 1) mitigate workforce shortages and 2) prepare individuals for occupations as fire fighters, emergency medical responders, or emergency medical services practitioners. Current law requires DWD to award incentive grants to school districts with industry-recognized certification programs equal to $1,000 for each student in the school district who obtains a high school diploma and successfully completes an approved program.

This bill increases the amount of incentive grants to $2,000 for each student in the school district who obtains a high school diploma and successfully completes an approved program.