Voluntary Workforce Training Programs

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Voluntary Workforce Training Programs

• New Opportunities for Texas Students

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What are Voluntary Workforce Training Programs?

• Established in 1999 by Texas Legislature (HB2401)
• Intended to improve students work skills and
  help them prepare for postsecondary education
• Also intended to encourage closer cooperation
  between education and business on behalf of
  students

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Similar to work-based learning

• Includes a postsecondary component
• May include a trust fund arrangement to help fund
  postsecondary education
• Employer agrees to provide paid employment for
  the participant during the junior and senior
  years of high school, and after the first year of
  postsecondary education
• Requires certification by the state
• Participants will be reflected in the AEIS
  system.
• Agreement may be dissolved at any time

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Program Requirements

• Must integrate a secondary school academic
  curriculum with workplace training and a
  postsecondary curriculum
• Students will be placed in job internships and
  assigned a mentor by employer
• The employer/student arrangement is designed to
  continue into postsecondary educagtion and lead
  to an associates or bachelors degree

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Program Requirements, continued

• Program must meet recognized or accepted industry
  standards
• Participants must be at least 16
• Program must have sponsor (district, business,
  local workforce development board)
• Participants may not work more than 15 hours
  during the school week
• No student may be required to participate

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Certification Process

• Two forms required
• Application for Certified Voluntary Workforce
  Training Program
• Certified Program Agreement

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Certified Program Agreement

• Similar to work-based training agreement
• Agreement between student, school and business
• Modified to include elements required under the
  new law
• May include postsecondary agreement
• Retained by student, business and sponsor not
  sent to TEA

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Postsecondary Agreements

• The participant agrees to work for the employer
  for at least two years following postsecondary
  graduation
• Employer and participant establish a trust fund
• Participant agrees to pay half of their wages
  into the trust fund to be applied toward
  postsecondary education

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Postsecondary Agreements, continued

• Employer agrees to contribute a matching amount
  to the trust fund
• Employer agrees to provide prevailing wage and
  other benefits
• Participant agrees to reimburse employer if
  he/she does not fulfill agreement to work for
  employer for two years following postsecondary
  graduation

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Postsecondary Agreements, continued

• If the participant decides not to continue in the
  program before beginning postsecondary education,
  both student and employer are refunded their
  respective contributions plus interest earned
• Agreement may be modified through mutual consent
  at any time.

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Application for Certified Voluntary Workforce
Training Program

• Programs require one-time certification by TEA
  and TWC
• One-page agreement between sponsor and employer,
  submitted to TEA
• Sponsors will be asked to identify student
  participants to TEA so that results can be
  reported through AEIS

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Summary

• Similar to work-based training programs
• Require certification by state
• Require reporting of participants to state
• May include a postsecondary agreement for
  students to work for employer after graduation
• Postsecondary agreement includes a trust fund