Members of the Kansas State Department of Education’s Teacher Licensure and Career and Technical Education (CTE) teams; Kansas Office of Apprenticeship; business and industry representatives and others participated in the first Kansas Youth Registered Apprenticeship Champion Training to learn how to build and grow the program.

On Jan. 16-17, approximately 20 attendees gathered in the board room at the Landon State Office Building in Topeka.

The Kansas Youth Registered Apprenticeship is a competency-based program that bridges high school students and CTE learning with highly specialized, on-the-job learning and career pursuits. Participants receive paid, on-the-job training and technical instruction designed to meet high school graduation requirements.

In 2021, The Kansas State Department of Education partnered with the Kansas Department of Commerce and worked with Topeka USD 501 and Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) to develop the first approved youth apprenticeship program in the state.

Reylli Lopez, a junior at Highland Park High School in Topeka at the time, had to apply for the apprenticeship and was selected to join KSDE’s Information Technology (IT) team. Lopez worked part time at KSDE as a technology support technician while finishing his high school degree. Click here to read his story.

At the Apprenticeship Champion Training, attendees received an overview of apprenticeship programs, including the history and laws; and learned how to promote and manage registered apprenticeship programs.

Natalie Clark, assistant director of KSDE’s Career, Standards and Assessment Services (CSAS) team, took part in the two-day champion training.

Clark said that through a youth registered apprenticeship, students can earn while they learn.

“A Youth Registered Apprenticeship provides students an opportunity for related technical instruction that may include taking CTE courses at their local high school, taking community or technical colleges, and learning from a business or industry.

She said those who attended the training are now familiar with finding the resources to connect those interested in Youth Registered Apprenticeship with specialists that can help make the education and business connections.

To be eligible to apply for a Youth Registered Apprenticeship, the student must:

• Be a junior, senior or graduating senior.
• Be at least 16 years of age.
• Be willing and able to commit to fully completing the competency-based program.
• Demonstrate and maintain academic readiness and responsibility.
• Complete Kansas WORKReady! skills assessment and testing.
   

To learn more about the Kansas Youth Registered Apprenticeship, click here. To learn more about and to register for the Apprenticeship Champion Training, click here.