S_ED_2020A 01/30/2020 01:41:38 PM Committee Summary

Representative Buentello, Chair, called the meeting to order.  She invited the presenters from Warren Tech to the table.  Heather Keeton, Principal of Warren Tech, Rachel Mullen, Marketing and Communications Specialist at Warren Tech, and Marna Messer, Director of Choice Programming, Jeffco Public Schools, came to the table to begin their presentation.  Their PowerPoint presentation can be found as Attachment A.

Ms. Keeton provided an overview of how and why Warren Tech began, the types and numbers of programs the school offers, the demographics of the student body, and how the program provides opportunities for concurrent enrollment and industry certifications. She distributed several handouts to the committee (Attachments B and C).

Ms. Keeton discussed the opportunities, challenges, and success of Warren Tech, and told the committee about the new campus that will be opening in fall 2021.  She answered questions from the committee.

Representative Buentello invited Rob Daugherty, Principal of Power Technical Early College (PTEC), and LeErica Warren, Assistant Principal of PTEC, to come to the table to begin their presentation which can be found as Attachment D.  Mr. Daugherty distributed two additional handouts (Attachments E and F) and spoke about the mission, purpose, and organizational structure of the school.

Mr. Daugherty continued talking about the different programs and pathways at the school, the types of certifications students can receive, concurrent enrollment, and the school's industry partners.  

Representative Buentello invited the presenters from Cherry Creek Innovation Campus (CCIC) to the table.  Sarah Grobbel, Assistant Superintendent, Career & Innovation, Cherry Creek Schools, Tara Bell, Assistant to the Principal at CCIC, and Milana Yushkevich, a student at CCIC, began their presentation and distributed a handout to the committee (Attachment G).

The panel spoke about the programs and activities CCIC offers to assist students when determinig their career pathway during the Individualized Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) process.  Ms. Bell talked about several current programs being offered, the application process, enrollment numbers, transportation, program fees, and the school's bell schedule.  The panel discussed different pathway options, including manufacturing pathways, business services pathways, health and wellness pathways, hospitality and tourism pathways, infrastructure engineering pathways, information technology pathways, and transportation pathways, which include automotive and aviation.  Ms. Yushkevich told the committee about her experiences at CCIC.  The panel answered questions from the committee.

Representative Buentello invited Meaghan Sullivan, Chief Product Officer of CareerWise Colroado, to come to the table.  Ms. Sullivan spoke about the work CareerWise is doing to build a youth apprenticeship program.  She discussed the current skills shortage in Colorado, as well as the European Apprenticeship Model out of Switzerland, and bridging the gap between education and career pathways.  She explained how the CareerWise apprenticeship program works and discussed the nine career pathways and 30 apprenticeable occupations that CareerWise has developed during its first three years in operation.  She discussed CareerWise's goal to bring youth apprenticeship opportunities statewide and about partnerships with school districts.

Ms. Sullivan answered questions from the committee.  She spoke about graduation requirements, concurrent enrollment, section partnerships, workforce legislation, industry credentials, and guaranteed transfer abilities.

The committee took a brief recess.

Representative Buentello asked the final group of presenters to come to the table.  Kim Poast, Chief Student Success and Academic Affairs Officer, Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE), Mike Macklin, Associate Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development, Colorado Community College System (CCCS), and Thanh Nguyen, Healthcare Apprenticeship Consultant, CDHE, began their presentation.  Dr. Poast distributed a handout to the committee (Attachment H) and spoke about the grant that CDHE received to develop and implement the Colorado Healthcare Experiential Learning Pathways to Success (CO HELPS) program.

Mr. Macklin provided background information about the CCCS, and discussed the number of current apprenticeships registered in the state, the core components of the apprenticeship program, and the variety of funding streams.  Ms. Nguyen spoke about the role of apprenticeship consultants, the current workforce partnerships, and the program's accessibility for employers.  She discussed the relationship between apprenticeships and higher education, as well as the need to continue investment in apprenticeship infrastructure throughout the state.