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Apprenticeships help Coloradans get skills while earning a paycheck or school credit

Posted at 4:30 AM, Nov 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-04 09:59:48-05

DENVER — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has declared November as Colorado Apprenticeship Month.

“Apprenticeships give people of all ages an opportunity to hone existing skills and gain new ones,” said Joe Barela, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE). “Apprenticeships provide countless Coloradans with opportunities to remain competitive in a quickly evolving labor market that demands lifelong learning.”

READ MORE: Colorado students, companies say apprenticeships are a win-win

"If you really want to experience the world of work, to see if you want to continue in that line of work, this is a great way to find that out, while still getting college credit, high school credit, earning some dollars," explained Angie Paccione, the Executive Director of Colorado's Dept. of Higher Education.

There are apprenticeships available in Colorado in engineering, manufacturing, natural resources, tourism, I.T., construction and other fields.

Colorado's Labor and Employment website lists apprenticeships in a variety of fields and includes the contact person's name and phone number. Some programs are for students, others don't have any requirements. You can also learn more here.

From 2013 to 2018, the number of apprentices grew from 375,000 to 585,000, according to the United States Department of Labor.