Apprenticeship Bill in Ohio Seeks to Attract High School Students
Under new legislation introduced in the Ohio General Assembly by Rep. Hagan (H.B. 168), high school students will have the opportunity to use state education funds to enroll in apprenticeship programs registered by the Department of Labor. Ohio’s Post-Secondary Education Opportunity Program (PSEOP) enables high school students to enroll in courses that provide both high school and college credit. For students participating in this dual-enrollment program, the cost of the college tuition and fees is deducted from their local school district. H.B. 168 adds DOL Registered Apprenticeship programs as one of the post-secondary options available to PSEOP participants.
In addition to learning a career-ready skill while earning a wage, when a student is officially enrolled in an apprenticeship program, they must have an employer sponsor. This means virtually every apprenticeship upperclassman who has begun their on-the-job training has a full-time job waiting for them after they walk across the stage to collect their diploma. If that weren’t enough, many apprenticeship programs qualify for college credit toward a two-year degree – providing these students with a debt-free head start on college.
Contributor since July 2013
Mike is the Director of Workforce Policy at Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
