Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Labor & Workforce Development Committee |
HB 1760
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Requiring creation of a web-based application to match profiles of students and employers for internship opportunities.
Sponsors: Representatives Probst, Sells, Upthegrove and Hope.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/11/11
Staff: Jill Reinmuth (786-7134).
Background:
The Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board (Board) allocates grants to workforce development councils, community and technical colleges, and others to establish and support industry skill panels. The skill panels identify workforce strategies to enable businesses to address workforce skill needs. Such strategies may include arranging employer mentoring, tutoring, and internships. The services of particular skill panels depend upon industry needs.
The Board also administers the Opportunity Internship Program. The program provides incentives for local consortia to use existing resources to train low-income high school students for high-demand occupations in targeted industries. The consortia consist of organizations including: high schools, community and technical colleges, employers, labor groups, apprenticeship councils, and preapprenticeship programs. The consortia develop and implement various components of opportunity internships, including internships or preapprenticeships in high-demand occupations.
Summary of Bill:
The Legislature finds that the economic crisis has presented many challenges for youth seeking employment, and that many businesses cannot find prospective employees with adequate training. The Legislature intends to overcome these challenges through innovative solutions that maximize existing resources.
The Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board (Board) is required to create a web application that:
provides a forum for students and employers to develop networks and match prospective interns with internship opportunities;
permits students and employers to create profiles for matching potential internships with opportunities, and also gives students the option of submitting matches to their academic or career advisors; and
matches profiles of potential interns and compatible employers, provides lists of potential matches, and allows access to profiles of potential matches.
The Board is authorized to solicit and receive gifts and grants to develop the web application.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.