While the pandemic made the rich richer and the poor poorer, it has also shown how essential blue- and white-collar working families are to keeping our communities together. We already know Colorado’s economic recovery will be better for some people than others, which is why we must prioritize investment in working people in our nation’s economic recovery plans. 

It’s not hard to see that in a system where corporations set the rules, profits win and communities and workers lose. To build back a stronger Colorado, where we all have a shot at a fulfilling life that balances work and family life, our lawmakers must take deliberate action to give working families a chance at a life worth living. They have that opportunity, by passing House Bill 1007, authorizing the creation of the State Apprenticeship Agency. 

As we start thinking about how to restructure our economy to be more resilient and to provide prosperity for a greater number of working people, we must focus on lessons learned from the pandemic: some jobs are essential, no matter what. Grocery workers, health care providers, child caregivers, these are the people who’ve gotten us through the worst of it. But just as essential are the plumbers, electricians, and other laborers whose work often takes place behind the scenes. 

For decades, leaders focused on funneling young people eager to enter the job market into the college pipeline. Traditional skilled labor jobs were overshadowed by four-year degrees that left millions of Americans in debt and often still struggling to find employment. But as the pandemic overtook the world, it was essential workers who made our communities resilient. Laborers and iron workers built our roads and bridges; electricians and line workers kept our power on and improved our grid, and pipefitters kept the gas flowing. Let’s not forget that as we move past the pandemic and into economic recovery. 

This legislative session, Colorado has a chance to invest in working families by creating a State Apprenticeship Agency that would oversee our state’s more than 300 registered apprenticeship programs. By dedicating a specific office to administer and evaluate apprenticeships, Colorado can create an alternate pathway to the labor market, one where high salaries and family-sustaining jobs are the norm. 

Apprenticeships are incredibly popular among career seekers. They provide educational and career opportunities, while allowing new workers to earn competitive wages and avoid student debt. The “Earn while you Learn” philosophy of apprenticeships creates a pathway for working people to obtain experience and a nationally-recognized credential, all while earning a competitive wage to support themselves and their families. Apprenticeships are industry-driven, so new on-the-job training opportunities arise as industries adapt to new technologies and regulations. When companies invest in training new workers, it’s in their best interest to hold on to those employees, which is why apprenticeships lead to permanent employment for more than nine out of 10 apprentices who complete a program (94 percent).

Creating a state agency to oversee apprenticeships, including required standards for registration, quality assurance, and promotion of programs, will give Colorado the opportunity to set the standard for the rest of the country in how to support and empower working people. It is in the best interest of industry, apprentices, and the economy to have high-quality apprenticeship programs. Colorado is known to be a trailblazer: our labor market and our economy are powered by technology and innovation. Industry-driven apprenticeships allow Colorado’s economy to be agile, shifting training where needed, diversifying our workforce, and helping retrain workers whose careers may be going away due to new technologies. 

We know that in the next 100 years, many careers will fade to make room for jobs we can’t even imagine yet. Colorado will need trained workers who have the skills necessary to keep us moving forward. Apprenticeships, where students earn money while learning, are the best way to create an adaptable and flexible workforce that can shift with market demands. Apprenticeships create an opportunity for people to transition to new jobs, or retrain for entirely new careers, without the economic threat of losing income while learning a new trade. 

Colorado’s legislature should approve House Bill 1007, which would give Colorado a competitive advantage to have the best trained workers who can lead the nation in cutting edge industries. Our workers, our communities, and our economy would all benefit. 

Jason Wardrip is the business manager at Colorado Building & Construction Trades Council and the vice president for building & construction trades at the Colorado AFL-CIO. After dropping out of high school, Jason found a career as a sheetmetal worker through an apprenticeship and has been working in his profession for 25 years.