Continuing to Bring Good Jobs to Coloradans, Increase Access to Workforce Training: Governor Polis Announces Appointments to State Apprenticeship Agency
DENVER — Today, Governor Polis announced the following appointments to two councils within the State Apprenticeship Agency: the State Apprenticeship Council and the Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship. Gov. Polis, Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper joined US Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Denver Pipefitters Local 208 to bring awareness to Registered Apprenticeships. Governor Polis also joined both senators and Secretary Walsh at Metropolitan State University to tour the campus’ advanced aerospace manufacturing lab and discuss the importance of apprenticeship programs to expand job training opportunities and in particular open up access for women and students of color to succeed in any field they choose -- from construction and advanced manufacturing to childcare, healthcare, and hospitality.
“Apprenticeships bring good-paying jobs to Colorado workers, prepare our workforce for the future, and strengthen our talent pipeline, so I am proud that Colorado is a national leader in apprenticeship and work-based learning. We welcome the expertise of the newly appointed agency members, as we continue to take bold steps to deliver real change to Coloradans and ensure everyone can thrive,” said Governor Polis.
(Governor Polis, Senator Bennet, Senator Hickenlooper, and Secretary Walsh are pictured with newly appointed State Apprenticeship Agency council members)
The State Apprenticeship Council
The council will advise the State Apprenticeship Agency on registered apprenticeships for the building and construction trades.
- Gerald Arnold, Denver Pipefitters Local Union #208
- David Davia, Rocky Mountain Mechanical Contractors Association
- Michael Gifford, Associated General Contractors - Colorado
- Jennie Gonzales, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 68
- Shane Haas, FCI Constructors, Inc.
- Jeanie Kelley, RK Mechanical
- Heather Sherwood, Western States College of Construction
- Marilyn Akers Stansbury, Independent Electrical Contractors Rocky Mountain
- Jason Wardrip, Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council
- Sean Wyatt, Plumbers Local Union 3
Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship
The committee will advise the State Apprenticeship Agency on registered apprenticeships for all other industries, with membership reflecting high-demand jobs.
- Julia Brink, Red Rocks Childcare Innovation Center
- Curtis Englehart, Mesa County Workforce Center
- Nicole Jones, Denver Economic Development & Opportunity Youth Services
- Dani Kimlinger, Colorado Society for Human Resources Management State Council
- Mary Mino, MSM Advisory Group
- Jaime Pearson, Centura Health
- Luis Ponce, Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
- Meaghan Sullivan, Careerwise
Non-voting members of the State Apprenticeship Council and Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship
- Joshua Cody, Colorado Farm Brewery representing the Colorado Workforce Development Council
- Eric Dunker, Arapahoe Community College representing a training provider
- Cher Haavind, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
- Sarah Heath, Colorado Community College System
- Kayla Shock, Office of Economic Development and International Trade
- Renee Welch, Colorado Department of Higher Education
- Lorena Zimmer, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce representing equal opportunity in apprenticeship