Date: 02/18/2013

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB13-1165

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment B). The motion p
Refer House Bill 13-1165, as amended, to the Commi		Pass Without Objection
PASS



02:34 PM -- House Bill 13-1165

Representative Wilson, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 13-1165 which concerns the creation of a manufacturing career pathway. The bill requires that the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education (SBCCOE) collaborate with the Department of Higher Education (DHE), the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), and the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), to design a career pathway for students seeking employment in the manufacturing sector. The career pathway must be available for students beginning with the 2014-15 academic year. The DHE is appropriated $1.0 million from the General Fund for allocation to the SBCCOE to implement the bill.

Representative Wilson explained that a significant skills gap has developed in Colorado in the manufacturing industry and that this bill will create a well-trained workforce to meet industry labor demands. He said that the first thing employers consider when bringing their business to Colorado is the workforce, and that this bill will lead to a skilled labor pool and allow people to secure a job and advance in manufacturing professions. He discussed the fiscal note attached to the bill, and stated that the bill increases tax revenues for the state and that the bill is an investment in Colorado and a way to increase the base revenue in the state.

The following persons testified:

02:41 PM -- Dr. Geri Anderson, Vice President and Provost of the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), testified in support of the bill. Dr. Anderson stated that the career pathway aligns curriculum and credentials in the manufacturing industry. She discussed the skills gap that exists in Colorado, stating that there are jobs available, but very few qualified technicians to fill them. She stated that the bill will allow educators to work with business and industry representatives to create common pathways. She discussed the skills that would be taught in career pathway courses. She stated that this idea is modeled after a program in Oregon, where students are graduating from high school with a certificate for advanced work in the manufacturing industry. She discussed the ability to "stack" skills on top of the certificates, eventually leading some students to bachelor's and graduate degrees. She discussed using manufacturing and healthcare career pathways as templates for twelve other career pathways. She responded to questions from the committee.

02:56 PM -- Noel Ginsberg, Founder of Intertech Plastics, Inc., and representing the Colorado Advanced Manufacturing Alliance, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Ginsberg provided background information on his company. He stated that the U.S. is still the largest manufacturer in the world and that companies are moving their manufacturing operations back to the U.S. He stated that there are 600,000 jobs in manufacturing in the U.S. that are unfilled because there are not enough technicians to fill these jobs. He stated that today's students are not going to school to get into the trades, and that tool makers can make $45,000-100,000 a year. He stated that there has been a hallowing out of the education system in terms of manufacturing classes and that there is not currently the infrastructure in place to rebuild those classes. He discussed lost tax revenues as the result of the manufacturing industry's lost profit opportunities due to lack of workers.

03:02 PM -- Tom Neppl, CEO and Founder of Springs Fabrication, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Neppl stated that the skills gap is a real problem in Colorado and across the U.S. He stated that the loss of manufacturing jobs has pushed kids into other careers. He said that manufacturing is a rewarding career and that the salary averages $50,000 a year and up to $90,000 a year, in his company. He stated that manufacturing is rapidly becoming high tech and that robotics are very involved in the process.

03:05 PM -- Jeff Popiel, GeoTech Environmental Equipment, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Popiel gave background information on his company and described the work they do. He discussed his experience in high school taking career and tech classes. He stated that American youth are innovative problem solvers. He discussed the skills gap in his industry, and stated that the youngest qualified applicant he had apply for a position in his company recently, was 47 years old. He said that his company would like to hire younger people as well, but they aren't being taught in school the basic skills needed for manufacturing careers. He discussed on-the-job training. Mr. Popiel responded to questions from the committee.

03:14 PM -- Frank Waterous, Senior Policy Analyst, The Bell Policy Center, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Waterous provided his comments in writing (Attachment A). He provided background information on The Bell Policy Center. He stated that career pathways offer a clear sequence for course work and when pathways are well-designed, they include regular engagement with employers, as contemplated in the bill. He stated that by the year 2018, two-thirds of Colorado's workforce will need some level of training. He stated that the bill is good workforce development policy and that education attainment is the single most important factor for economic growth. Mr. Waterous responded to questions from the committee about Colorado's ability to afford the fiscal note attached to the bill. He stated that this is the sort of investment that the state needs to start making.

13HseEd0218AttachA.pdf13HseEd0218AttachA.pdf

03:23 PM -- Mark Welle, President and CEO of Westco Welding, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Welle stated that the bill will help support Colorado's economy and bring jobs back to the U.S. He stated that Colorado has not endorsed any certifications to deliver training that is unified and accredited in the manufacturing industry. He said that the variability of solutions being offered at Colorado's community colleges is a sad situation, and that students have to travel too far to get the quality of education that manufacturers are looking for in potential employees.

03:27 PM -- Wendell Pryor, Director of the Chaffee County Economic Development Corporation, testified in support of the bill. He stated that the bill deals with the issue that Colorado faces in having jobs available, but no qualified people to fill them. He stated that there are models out there that allow this process of creating career pathways to be efficient. He discussed the fiscal note associated with the bill and stated that the bill is about giving Colorado a competitive edge.


03:31 PM

Representative Wilson distributed Amendment L.002 (Attachment B) and discussed how the amendment impacts the bill. He provided closing comments to the bill. Committee discussion and comments ensued, with several members stating why they would, or would not, be supporting the bill.

13HseEd0218AttachB.pdf13HseEd0218AttachB.pdf
BILL:HB13-1165
TIME: 03:31:48 PM
MOVED:Wilson
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Court
VOTE
Buckner
Court
Everett
Fields
Holbert
Landgraf
Excused
Murray
Pettersen
Priola
Wilson
Young
Peniston
Hamner
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:HB13-1165
TIME: 03:32:41 PM
MOVED:Wilson
MOTION:Refer House Bill 13-1165, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 8-4, with one member excused.
SECONDED:Young
VOTE
Buckner
Yes
Court
No
Everett
Yes
Fields
Yes
Holbert
No
Landgraf
Excused
Murray
Yes
Pettersen
Yes
Priola
No
Wilson
Yes
Young
Yes
Peniston
No
Hamner
Yes
Final YES: 8 NO: 4 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS