Bill > S1522

This bill updates Florida law to enhance workforce training programs by clarifying definitions and expanding the responsibilities of the Department of Education in collaboration with the Department of Economic Opportunity. Key changes include redefining "journeyworker" to encompass a broader range of skilled workers who have demonstrated mastery through various means, not just traditional apprenticeship completion, and updating the term "journeyman" to "journeyworker" throughout relevant statutes to reflect this broader definition. The bill also mandates that the Department of Education, working with the Department of Economic Opportunity, identify and recommend specific apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs that align with statewide and regional workforce demands, particularly in high-demand occupations. Furthermore, it requires these departments to annually report on program usage, student demographics, performance outcomes, and program requirements, and to post detailed information about these programs on the Department of Education's website. An operational report is also required by December 31, 2015, detailing the collaboration between agencies, strategies for stakeholder engagement, recommendations for program improvement and efficiency, and communication with employers regarding apprenticeship sponsorship. The bill also incorporates industry certifications as a potential component of preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs and ensures that on-the-job training programs are subject to similar provisions as apprenticeship programs.