(a) There is established the Apprenticeship Connecticut initiative to develop work force pipeline programs to train qualified entry-level workers for job placement with manufacturers and employers in other industry sectors in the state that are experiencing sustained work force shortages. The initiative shall include, where practicable, outreach to underserved populations, including youths, to achieve success in the program and support the state's economic development progress.

(b) (1) Not later than January 1, 2019, the Labor Commissioner shall issue a request for qualifications to solicit proposals from regional industry partnerships for a work force pipeline program to serve the work force needs of manufacturers and other employers in the region. To be eligible to submit a proposal, a regional industry partnership shall include as members of such partnership (A) entities and organizations with expertise in regional economic and work force development, including, but not limited to, entities offering apprenticeship or other work force training programs, (B) the regional work force development board, established pursuant to section 31-3k, for the applicable work force region, and (C) at least one educational institution such as a vocational-technical school or an institution of higher education or at least one employer located in the work force region. A regional industry partnership may include other entities, organizations or institutions that support the goals of the partnership and initiative.

(2) Prior to the date established by the commissioner for the submission of responses to such request for qualifications, each regional work force development board shall submit a report to the General Assembly, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, that sets forth the most pressing work force needs within such board's region and identifies the industry sector or sectors in which such needs are the greatest.

(c) Each proposal shall be submitted by the partnership through the regional work force development board and shall demonstrate the targeted goal of preparing qualified entry-level workers for careers that provide a living wage. Each proposal shall include plans for the following core program components:

(1) Identification of the region's most pressing work force needs and the industry sector or sectors in which such needs are the greatest, as reported to the General Assembly pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section, and including a detailed plan of how the partnership's proposal will serve the employment needs of workers residing in all towns within the region served by the applicable regional work force development board, focusing on those areas within such region with the most concentrated employment needs;

(2) Recruitment in the program of, and outreach efforts to, potential job seekers;

(3) (A) Screening and assessment of individuals interested in manufacturing work or employment in other sectors proposed to be targeted by the partnership, by which individuals will be assessed for work readiness, aptitude for the relevant work skills and on other metrics as specified by the partnership or as recommended by the Labor Department;

(B) Redirecting or connecting individuals determined through the screening and assessment process not to be suited for participation in the program to or with alternative career resources or services available to residents of the state that may be better suited to such individuals;

(C) Placement of individuals screened and assessed who are selected to participate in a training program, with an employer identified by the partnership, upon such individual's successful completion of the training program. Such identified employer shall commit to hire one or more individuals who successfully complete the training program and may further offer related on-the-job training or other in-house training opportunities to such individual or individuals. The partnership shall seek to leverage any such training or opportunities, apprenticeship programs, the Labor Department's subsidized training and employment program and other wage-subsidy programs with employers who commit to hiring individuals, and may seek program funding for retention services;

(4) (A) Separate training programs for participants (i) in the eleventh or twelfth grade, and (ii) eighteen years of age or older who are not currently enrolled in eleventh or twelfth grade. Such training programs shall be provided by partnership members or with the assistance of other parties as identified in the proposal;

(B) Training programs shall be not less than five consecutive weeks and not more than twenty-six consecutive weeks in duration. At least one training program offered for each age group shall be provided through a certified preapprenticeship program offered by the Labor Department. Any other training program may include a preapprenticeship component or award industry-recognized certificates, as proposed by the partnership;

(C) Training programs shall be developed and revised periodically through ongoing consultation with employers targeted for job placement of program participants;

(5) The duration of a work force pipeline program shall be not less than four years from the date of its establishment;

(6) For each core program component, identification of specific existing resources available to such partnership through the regional work force development board, the United States Department of Labor's American Job Center system, the state Labor Department, employers, apprenticeship or other work force training programs, educational institutions in the state or other public or private funds. If the partnership proposes using program funds for the purposes of core program components, it shall demonstrate for each such component that there will be leveraged funding support from existing resources and that the use of program funds for such purposes will not affect the availability of such existing resources; and

(7) The following limits shall apply to the use of any program funds awarded to a partnership: (A) Not more than seventy per cent of such funds shall be used for the training programs set forth in subdivision (4) of this subsection; (B) not more than twenty per cent of such funds shall be used for supporting services for the program, including recruitment and outreach efforts, screening and assessment, transportation, stipends, workplace tools or equipment and preemployment supports; and (C) not more than ten per cent of such funds shall be used for any other purpose, including administrative costs.

(d) (1) The commissioner shall review all qualifying responses to the request for qualifications and select as many proposals as the commissioner deems to be well-planned and the partnership to be capable of implementing its proposal. The commissioner shall select proposals so as to achieve a goal of not fewer than ten thousand individuals placed into new jobs over the first four years of a program, with one-third of such individuals from the group under subparagraph (A)(i) of subdivision (4) of subsection (c) of this section and two-thirds of such individuals from the group under subparagraph (A)(ii) of subdivision (4) of subsection (c) of this section.

(2) (A) The commissioner shall award funds to the partnerships selected under subdivision (1) of this subsection in proportion to the magnitude of the work force needs within the work force region proposed to be served, relative to the comparable work force needs within other work force regions of the state, provided no partnership shall receive more than twenty million dollars in total funding. The commissioner may further weight such distribution according to any total cost per program participant proposed by a partnership that the commissioner deems reasonable, and may give preference to a partnership with a lower total cost per program participant.

(B) The commissioner shall reserve from any funds awarded under subparagraph (A) of this subdivision sufficient funds to support the use of the certified preapprenticeship program offered by the Labor Department and shall transfer such reserved funds to the appropriate departmental account to be used for such purpose.

(e) Any regional industry partnership may seek (1) to leverage tuition or financial assistance programs for purposes of the program and for the benefit of individuals participating in the program, and (2) philanthropic and employer investments to meet the goal set forth in subdivision (1) of subsection (d) of this section and to support retention of individuals participating in the program.

(P.A. 18-178, S. 45.)

History: P.A. 18-178 effective July 1, 2018.