[vimeo 156622574 w=700 h=394]Colorado lawmakers rolled out a package of 10 bills focused on state workforce development Wednesday at the Capitol, touting cooperation among industry representatives, Republicans and Democrats to better prepare young Coloradans to thrive in what they called a changing economy that offers new kinds of careers.

The bills extend a similar drive launched last year dubbed “Colorado Ready to Work.” This year’s bills focus on integrating the business community with schools to provide apprenticeship and intern-style training for teens in every scholastic track so that they can “step into good-paying skilled positions that are available now, but often go unfilled,” said House Majority Leader Crisanta Duran, D-Denver.

Duran said the bills are a product of long conversation.

“We’ve been working on this since the session ended last year,” she said. “We started to have some conversation about workforce development and what’s next, what should be next,” she told The Colorado Statesman. “It’s a team effort to get anything done in this building. So we’ve worked with (Sen. Majority Leader Mark Scheffel, R-Sedalia, and Senate President Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs) on details of the package since the time the session started.”

Scheffel said bipartisan cooperation made the bills stronger.

“That’s why I wanted to be involved, that’s why I wanted my members to be involved, that’s why Majority Leader Duran and her team wanted to be involved,” he said. “I think what we’ll find is similar to what we found last year — that the bipartisan effort, by its very nature, it has a tug and pull and natural stops that occur.”

Some of the bills have already been introduced and are scheduled for committee hearings. Others are still being fully drafted.

One of the bills would provide tax credits to companies that offer apprenticeships. Another would update Department of Education standards to include technology skills and to create grant programs for teachers pursuing training in fields such as computer science.

Here’s a brief round-up of the bills:

Industry infrastructure grant program, sponsored by Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp, D-Arvada, and Sen. Jack Tate, R-Centennial. It would create a matching grant program within the Colorado Workforce Development Council to assist industry associations to define industry competencies and collaborate to facilitate training and education in the classroom and the workplace.

Computer science and digital literacy, sponsored by Reps. Crisanta Duran, D-Denver, and Susan Lontine, D-Denver, and Sens. Michael Johnston, D-Denver, and Owen Hill, R-Colorado Springs. It would Update Department of Education standards to include tech skills, create a resource bank for schools to start or expand computer science programs, and create a grant program for teachers to pursue education in computer science skills.

Incentives for student success, sponsored by Reps. Crisanta Duran, D-Denver, and Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo, and Sens. Larry Crowder, R-Alamosa, and Leroy Garcia, D-Pueblo. It would create a pilot program that gives school districts $1,000 bonuses for each high school student who earns a certification for an in-demand job, finishes a workplace training program for that industry or completes a computer science AP course.

Tax credit for apprenticeships, sponsored by Rep. Alec Garnett, D-Denver, and Sen. Mark Scheffel, R-Sedalia. It would provide an income tax credit for qualifying businesses that integrate apprenticeships into its workplace.

Apprenticeship study, sponsored by Reps. Paul Rosenthal, D-Denver, and Jim Wilson, R-Salida, and Sens. John Cooke, R-Greeley, and John Kefalas, D-Fort Collins. It would direct the state’s Department of Labor to study how to increase apprenticeships.

Extension of ReHire Colorado, sponsored by Reps. Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo and Tracy Kraft-Tharp, D-Arvada, and Sens. Rollie Heath, D-Boulder, and Owen Hill, R-Colorado Springs. It would extend ReHire Colorado program, which provides job training for Coloradans and help them transition from government assistance.

Colorado workforce and innovation and opportunity act, sponsored by Reps. Crisanta Duran, D-Denver, and Brian DelGrosso,R-Loveland. It would align state statute with a federal act.

Aligning student academic plans with career pathways, sponsored by Sens. Nancy Todd, D-Aurora, and Beth Martinez Humenik, R-Thornton, and Rep. Dave Young, D-Greeley. It would direct the state Department of Education to work with community colleges to align postsecondary and workforce readiness initiatives.

Clarifying license pathways for mental health professionals, sponsored by Reps. Tracy Kraft-Tharp, D-Arvada, and Lois Landgraf, R-Fountain, and Sens. Beth Martinez Humenik, R-Thornton, and Nancy Todd, D-Aurora. It would streamline a pathway to licensure for mental health professionals.

Qualifications for licensed electricians, sponsored by Reps. Crisanta Duran, D-Denver, and Brian DelGrosso, R-Loveland, and Sens. Mark Scheffel, R-Sedalia and Lucía Guzmán, D-Denver. It would modify the license renewal process for electricians and replace the assessment for renewal with 24 hours of continuing education.

Video by Roxann Elliott.

— ramsey@coloradostatesman.com