DENVER – May 2, 2018 – CareerWise Colorado has added Estes Park and Loveland/Berthoud to its growing network of communities across the state that offer its modern youth apprenticeship program. Beginning this fall, CareerWise and local leadership in Estes Park and Loveland/Berthoud will recruit high school students and businesses in those communities to participate in the 2019 cohort of apprentices.
The Estes Park community launch is being spearheaded by the Estes Park School District R-3, which has received commitments from several local employers—including Estes Park Light & Power, Estes Valley Recreation and Park District, The Stanley Hotel and YMCA of the Rockies—to hire local high school students as apprentices.
The Loveland/Berthoud community launch is being supported by the Thompson School District (TSD) and Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development. The community has received hiring commitments from The Bank of Colorado, LPR Construction, Tolmar Pharmaceuticals and UCHealth.
CareerWise launched its first cohort in 2017. Currently, more than 75 business partners in the Denver metro area, Eagle County, Fort Collins and Grand Junction with apprentices onsite or are actively interviewing and hiring young people for the second cohort of apprentices who will take the first step on their path to career success this summer or fall. Apprenticeships are offered in the fields of financial services, information technology, advanced manufacturing, business operations and healthcare.
“Modern youth apprenticeship programs are built to address the needs of both today’s students and today’s employers,” said Chuck Scott, a local leader of the program with Estes Park School District R-3. “These programs draw students from a wide spectrum of backgrounds and provide them with not just a paid apprenticeship and introduction to a meaningful career, but college credits. For students looking to delve in, and earn while they learn, they are ideal stepping off points to college or their careers.”
Local businesses are also beneficiaries of modern youth apprenticeship. “Businesses are now able to take an active role in shaping and feeding their talent pipeline, while realizing tangible returns on their investment and reducing turnover and training costs,” said Kate Durkin, a project leader with LCEWD. “Moreover, we all benefit from growing the middle class and creating opportunities for young people right here in our community.”
Communities apply for apprenticeships through a process in which they must demonstrate sufficient involvement with and cooperation from both the local industry and the school system. CareerWise has developed a community readiness framework to evaluate new applications as it expands into new regions in Colorado. It is intended to help communities understand what must be in place within a community to demonstrate a readiness for partnership.
“We are building a marketplace of opportunity that offers tremendous benefits for businesses and students alike,” said Ashley Carter, CareerWise Colorado’s chief strategy officer. “The Estes Park and Loveland/Berthoud communities have embraced the possibilities of modern youth apprenticeship and did the hard work of aligning education and business ecosystem to ensure community-wide readiness.”
Carter added, “CareerWise is excited to partner with the talented and passionate community leaders as we support recruitment, hiring, implementation and facilitation of the program.”
Communities interested in learning more about the application process are invited to contact CareerWise at info@careerwisecolorado.org.
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