CT SB00607

The Labor Department and Board of Regents for Higher Education shall jointly create a plan for nontraditional pathways to earning a bachelor's degree at state universities and Charter Oak State College by allowing credits from apprenticeships, effective July 1, 2019.

The plan must identify subject areas for degree completion, prioritizing fields with low completion rates and employer hiring needs in Connecticut.

The plan shall establish registration processes for apprenticeships, minimum requirements for each subject area, student application procedures, credit limits per subject area, and completion requirements including work hours and proficiency standards.

An "apprenticeship" is defined as a program where an apprentice is employed under a written agreement to work at and learn a specific trade and is registered with the Labor Department.

The Labor Department and Board of Regents must jointly report to the legislature's joint standing committees on labor, higher education, and employment advancement by January 1, 2020, with the plan details and implementation timeline.