Governor Laura Kelly ceremonially signed House Bill 2292, bipartisan legislation that promotes and expands apprenticeships with businesses, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, and nonprofit groups through the use of tax credits and grants.
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The legislation, known as the Kansas Apprenticeship Act, also creates a matching grant program for eligible higher education institutions based on the number of engineering program graduates.
“Registered Apprenticeships are one of the most effective ways we can build our state’s skilled workforce,†Governor Laura Kelly said.
“That’s why I signed this bipartisan law to build on our efforts to expand and modernize apprenticeships. Now we are preparing even more Kansans to fill the high-demand, high-wage jobs we are creating throughout the state.â€
In September 2022, Governor Kelly established Kansas’ first Office of Registered Apprenticeship to increase the state’s workforce development efforts and meet the talent needs of businesses.
Kansas lawmakers authorized $13 million in total annual funding. It is the single largest and most significant financial investment Kansas has made in Registered Apprenticeships.
While the Registered Apprenticeship model is expanding in established skilled trades industries such as manufacturing and construction, additional industries such as healthcare, IT, human resources, agricultural manufacturing, and distribution and logistics now take advantage of the programming.
The most in-demand occupations that now have apprenticeship programs established include teacher educator, phlebotomist, welding bench technician, and cyber security.
The Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship will have a series of statewide roundtable events with local workforce boards, joint apprenticeship training councils, multi-employer intermediaries, business and industry, and higher education.
Announced events include:
• Wichita, July 25
• Great Bend, July 26
• Emporia, August 9
• Topeka and Kansas City, early August
The Office also will be visiting established Registered Apprenticeship programs, training providers, and higher education providers from Norton, Wichita, Garden City, Dodge City, and Hays in late July. ■