The Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) is pleased to announce it is awarding $500,000 to 12 organizations with a Small Business Apprenticeship Support (SBAS) grant to support small businesses in their efforts to launch new Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) or expand existing RAPs.
Grantees can use the funding to hire internal administrative support, provide training for managers and/or mentors, or develop curriculum. Technical assistance will be provided through Apprenticeship Colorado, the State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) that is responsible for oversight and registration of apprenticeships. Apprenticeship Colorado’s Program Development Team provides employers and new and existing sponsors with assistance in designing a high-quality Registered Apprenticeship Program from the exploration phase through program development to the final step of registration with the SAA.
The grant, funded by Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), will help these small businesses of 1-25 employees develop and train skilled workers tailored to their specific needs, improve job quality, and invest in apprenticeship programs while significantly reducing the financial burden associated with hiring and training new employees.
Well-trained apprentices can quickly become productive members of the team, contributing to innovation and competitiveness, as well as creating a continuous pipeline of skilled workers who are already familiar with the business’s culture and processes. Apprentices benefit from a quality job that incorporates structured wage progression, career pathway development, and mentoring, which in turn, lowers the turnover rate for employers. By expanding and growing apprenticeship programs, small businesses can simplify future hiring needs and ensure a steady supply of qualified employees.
The cohort of grantees include:
Culinarians Helping Entrepreneurial Folks (C.H.E.F.)
Early Connections Learning Centers
Environmental Consulting Services
High Altitude Holistic Pets
Remarkable Brands, LLC, a.k.a R+R Head Labs
To learn more about the SBAS grant, please contact CWDC Stimulus Funds Consultant Kim Fleming at kim.fleming@state.co.us for more information.
Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), part of a $60 million package funded through Colorado House Bill 21-1264, originate from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). These funds aim to assist Coloradans who lost their jobs during the pandemic, as well as those seeking to advance in their current roles or change careers entirely.
The CWDC utilized these funds to serve 12,594 individuals through Reskilling, Upskilling, and Next Skilling programs, as well as workforce innovation initiatives—including the Career Navigation and Career Coaching Collaborative, Trade Association Training programs, regional Sector Partnership staffing support, and grants to increase capacity across the state to strengthen training programs and help nonprofit providers and other organizations receive public funding.
The bill’s goal is to provide aid for economic recovery to the people, businesses, and industries most impacted by COVID-19; another aim is to improve outcomes for learners and workers and help prepare Coloradans for well-paying, quality jobs of the future. The bill emphasizes equity and directs funds towards underserved communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic including Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities, people with disabilities, New Americans, justice-involved individuals, older workers; there’s also an emphasis on supporting small businesses.