Workforce officials connect students to training and job pathways

The Chief Workforce Officer consults state agencies and advisory groups about human services staffing needs and hiring barriers, and assists school boards with education and job pathways. The work concerns providers serving people with disabilities, cognitive or behavioral health needs, and older adults.

The Chief Workforce Officer develops a plan for the Human Services Career Pipeline program and reports it to legislative committees. The plan covers ways to increase the number of state residents pursuing human services careers, recommended pay and working conditions, and estimated program funding. The report is due by July 1, 2026.

The Office of Workforce Strategy designs a program to support commercial driver's license training and training for other careers it identifies. The program supports people pursuing commercial driver's license training and other career training identified by the Office of Workforce Strategy. The Chief Workforce Officer must approve adding or removing other training opportunities. A person who receives a direct tuition payment must repay it only if training leads to a job with higher income than before training; no interest is charged. Wraparound supports do not have to be repaid. The program may offer extra supports such as stipends, child care, or counseling. The program must be implemented by January 1, 2027.

The Office of Workforce Strategy includes a report on the training program in its annual report. The report covers the career training program established under this section. The report may include completion and job placement rates, wages, spending on payments and services, and repayment information. The annual report must include the program report by October 1, 2027, and annually thereafter.