(a) The Department of Career Education is hereby authorized and directed to develop and implement a youth apprenticeship/work-based learning program to provide additional educational and training opportunities for noncollege-bound Arkansas high school students.

(b) The program should be based on the following fundamental principles:

(1) Strong employer commitment and involvement;

(2) Taking young people at the end of the tenth grade through a three-year to four-year process connecting high school and the first one (1) or two (2) years of postsecondary learning;

(3) Providing high-quality supervised learning opportunities for students at the work site;

(4) Integrating academic and vocational teaching and learning in the classroom and at work;

(5) Fostering interactive, team-based learning in the classroom;

(6) Including curriculum on all aspects of the industry;

(7) Using competency-based measures for evaluating student progress;

(8) Providing both academic and occupational credentials;

(9) Providing access and support to nontraditional groups; and

(10) Explicitly addressing issues presented by diversity in society and the workplace.

(c)

(1) The industries and occupations selected for this program must offer entry-level jobs with good opportunities for career advancement into high-skill, high-wage jobs.

(2) The department, the State Apprenticeship Coordination Steering Committee, and local sites will take joint responsibility for identifying these industries and occupations.

(3) The State Apprenticeship Coordination Steering Committee will take responsibility for identifying traditional apprenticeship programs that are currently in place.