Elizabeth Hernandez at The Denver Post reports Colorado’s Pinnacol Assurance is looked at nationally as a model of a successful youth Apprenticeship Program. While the program is among the largest and most robust Apprenticeship Programs in the State, it is just one of several hundred opportunities for Coloradans of all demographics to gain on-the-job workforce experience - and get paid while learning. “An Apprenticeship will change your life,” said 21-year-old Naarai Navarro, who lived a double life as a Denver high school student and a Claims-Agent-in-training at Pinnacol Assurance, the Denver-based Workers’ Compensation Insurance Agency. “As a high schooler, I didn’t think insurance sounded that interesting - but look at all I’ve done. I’m learning so much, and now I know there is much more to the job than I thought.” Colorado has recorded in excess of 5,826 active Apprentices, 287 active Apprenticeship Programs and 473 employers participating in these programs, according to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. Some of these are youth-focused Apprenticeships, while others accept people of all ages. The State is investing in Apprenticeship Programs, heralding them as the future of workforce development - so much so that in 2021, Governor Jared Polis signed a Bill into law establishing the State Apprenticeship Agency, which is set to launch this month (July 2025).

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Colorado invests in apprenticeships as way into workforce