Colorado Businesses Partner with CareerWise to Hire Modern Youth Apprentices

More than 150 Apprenticeship Positions Will Be Available to Students in Healthcare, IT, Business Operations, Advanced Manufacturing and Financial Services

DENVER – December 18, 2017 – CareerWise Colorado, a business-led nonprofit implementing a statewide, three-year youth-apprenticeship program for high school students, today announced its eight new hiring-business partners for its 2018 modern youth-apprenticeship positions. CareerWise also returns 20 to 30 hiring businesses who will be renewing their partnership with CareerWise by taking a second cohort of apprentices.

“Businesses are starting to see the value in the idea that industry can no longer being simply a consumer of the education system—it needs to become a producer in partnership with the education system to develop the kind of talent they need to remain competitive and innovate,” said Brad Revare, CareerWise’s director of business partnerships. “The CareerWise youth-apprenticeship model is business-led—from identifying in-demand positions, to developing the skills and competencies that are required in them—businesses lead the process so they can meet their strategic talent goals.”

The apprenticeship positions begin in summer or fall of 2018 as apprentices are typically entering their junior year of high school. The apprentices are with the company for three years with increasing on-site hours each year, approximately two days a week in the first year, three days a week in the second and at least three days a week in the third year. While in the workplace, apprentices perform meaningful, productive work for their department while earning a training wage and achieving the competencies for positions in one of five CareerWise pathways: Healthcare, Information Technology, Business Operations, Advanced Manufacturing and Financial Services.

We understand the importance of investing in the talent of tomorrow,” said Damesha Hill, Janus Henderson Investors’ managing partner. “Partnering with CareerWise allows us to do our part in giving students real-world, hands-on training – helping elevate our community’s future leaders.”

The new 2018 CareerWise business partners, with the approximate number of modern youth-apprenticeship positions offered, are:
• City of Aurora (7)
• Governor’s Office of IT (5)
• Janus Henderson Investors (4)
• Otter Products (4)
• Sava (15)
• Terumo BCT (2)
• Vail Resorts (Vail Valley though) (4)
• Vivage (15)

Businesses that currently employ CareerWise apprentices and are taking a new cohort this year include Arrow Electronics, DaVita, Home Advisor and Stonebridge.

CareerWise is still recruiting businesses for the 2018 apprentice cohort. For more information, contact Brad Revare at bradley.revare@careerwisecolorado.org or (913) 579-7556.

About CareerWise Colorado
CareerWise Colorado is building a statewide system of youth apprenticeships that create pathways for students to access high-demand, high-paying careers at leading Colorado companies. Student apprentices work toward high school graduation and earn postsecondary credit, industry credentials or both in their chosen career path. Established by the Business Experiential-Learning (BEL) Commission created by Gov. John Hickenlooper and chaired by Noel Ginsburg of Intertech Plastics, CareerWise Colorado is launching in school districts in metro Denver, Fort Collins and the Western Slope. 20,000 youth apprentices, or about 10 percent of Colorado students in their last two years of high school, are expected to participate by 2027. More information about CareerWise Colorado is available at www.careerwisecolorado.org.

 

Media Contact:
Jason Jansky, CareerWise Colorado
(303) 748-3300 | jason.jansky@careerwisecolorado.org