(1) As used in this section:

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(a) ‘Community-based organization’ has the meaning given that term in ORS § 660.390.

(b) ‘Local workforce development board’ has the meaning given that term in ORS § 660.300.

(c) ‘Priority populations’ has the meaning given that term in ORS § 660.300.

(2) The Bureau of Labor and Industries shall establish and administer a grant program to provide financial support for the development, expansion and implementation of registered apprenticeship and preapprenticeship training programs in health care and manufacturing, and for the development and implementation of preapprenticeship training programs in construction.

(3) The State Apprenticeship and Training Council, under the direction of the Apprenticeship and Training Division of the Bureau of Labor and Industries, may award grants to community-based organizations, labor organizations, local workforce development boards and other entities that develop apprenticeship and preapprenticeship training programs described under subsection (2) of this section and that prioritize program participation by apprentices from priority populations.

(4) The Apprenticeship and Training Division of the Bureau of Labor and Industries shall, in collaboration with the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, recommend for approval by the council:

(a) The criteria and standards by which the entities described under subsection (3) of this section may submit proposals to receive a grant under this section.

(b) The grant proposals to consider in awarding grants.

(5) The council shall award grants under this section on a competitive basis and may give priority to grant proposals that demonstrate effective strategies for engaging with priority populations.

(6) A recipient of a grant under this section may use the moneys:

(a) To pay the costs of convening employers in health care and manufacturing;

(b) To recruit and conduct outreach for apprentices;

(c) To provide tuition and fee assistance to program participants;

(d) To pay the costs of tools, supplies and equipment and other training-related costs;

(e) To pay for technology supports, including broadband services;

(f) To provide apprentices with supports and services that are equivalent to the supports and services available to apprentices who perform work on a bridge or highway project;

(g) To develop uniform standards for new registered apprenticeship and preapprenticeship training programs described under subsection (2) of this section;

(h) To develop a curriculum and standard courses of study for the instruction of apprentices; and

(i) For any other activities that the bureau deems necessary to support the expansion of registered apprenticeship and preapprenticeship training programs and to support overall increased program participation, with an emphasis on increased participation by women and individuals from communities of color.

(7) The bureau may adopt rules necessary to implement the provisions of this section.

(8) Each grant recipient shall track and report to the council information regarding the status of each apprenticeship and preapprenticeship program developed, expanded and implemented under this section and the use of grant funds. [2022 c.28 § 6]

Sections 1 and 3, chapter 496, Oregon Laws 2023, provide:

(1) As used in this section:

(a) ‘Local joint committee‘ has the meaning given that term in ORS § 660.010.

(b) ‘Local service district’ has the meaning given that term in ORS § 174.116.

(2) There is created in the Apprenticeship and Training Division of the Bureau of Labor and Industries a program to make grants to local service districts and local joint committees to develop and administer pilot projects that provide firefighter apprenticeship training. The bureau may award grants to provide funding for up to 10 pilot projects administered throughout this state.

(3) At a minimum, pilot projects funded by the program created under this section must:

(a) Provide on-the-job workforce training and education to prepare adults who are at least 18 years of age with the skills that are necessary to pursue a career in the fire service.

(b) Educate participants in a firefighter apprenticeship pilot project on how to mitigate fire and fire emergencies.

(c) Collaborate with associations that represent firefighters and fire service professionals and employers that provide fire protection services to identify career opportunities in the fire service.

(4) The Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries:

(a) May adopt rules necessary to implement this section, including rules regarding grant application procedures and criteria for grant approval.

(b) Shall prescribe by rule the requirements for a local service district or a local joint committee receiving funding under this section.

(c) May require a grant recipient to provide data and other reports to enable the bureau to monitor and evaluate the progress and success of pilot projects.

(5) Not later than December 31, 2026, the bureau shall submit a report, in the manner provided in ORS § 192.245, to an interim committee of the Legislative Assembly related to business and labor, on the effectiveness and success of pilot projects that were developed under the program established under this section. The bureau may include in the report submitted under this subsection recommendations for legislation. [2023 c.496 § 1]

Section 1 of this 2023 Act is repealed on January 2, 2027. [2023 c.496 § 3]

[Amended by 1957 c.270 § 11; 1967 c.6 § 25; 1971 c.734 § 104; 1977 c.299 § 2; 1979 c.831 § 3; repealed by 1981 c.764 § 20]