SUMMARY:  LC 33 5609S

This bill is the Work Based Learning Act.  It amends the current Youth Apprenticeship Program statute.  The Department of Education is authorized to establish work based learning programs and guidelines to assist local systems in operating such programs.  The programs may include, but are not limited to, employability skill development, cooperative education, internships, and youth apprenticeships.

The program is now open to any student 16 or over, not just 11th and 12th graders.  The program may now include governmental enterprises also. There is no longer a requirement the student be paid, and the hours required has changed.

REQUIREMENTS:

Any student 16 or older may enroll in a work based learning program offered at their school and approved for secondary credit by the Department of Education.

The place of work may be a business or governmental enterprise approved by the local work based learning coordinator based on the guidelines published by the Department of Education.

The programs may include, but are not limited to, employability skill development, service learning, cooperative education, internships, and youth apprenticeships. 

The Department of Education must include certain criteria in the programs such as:

• Detailed training agreement and training plan between employer and student that identifies specific work tasks to develop workplace competency
• Minimum of one unit of credit in a career pathway course related to the work based learning placement
• Minimum number of hours in on-the-job training as required in the Department's guidelines for awarding secondary credit
• On-site evaluation of the student's performance
• Training remediation as necessary at the school site 

Local school systems and college and career academies may designate one or more local work based learning coordinators

• Coordinators shall complete training programs collaboratively designed and delivered by the Department of Education and the Technicall College System of Georgia 

Students enrolled in such a program may be eligible to earn dual credit upon completing it.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

 July 1, 2014 if approved by the Governor or becomes law without his approval.