Youth Access to American Jobs Act of 2019

To establish a pilot program to promote public-private partnerships among apprenticeships or other job training programs, local educational agencies, and community colleges, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Youth Access to American Jobs Act of 2019 2. 2–2–2 Pilot Program (a) In general From the amounts appropriated to carry out this Act, the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall award grants to 10 eligible entities to carry a program described in subsection (c) for eligible students. (b) Application requirements An eligible entity that desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary as such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (c) Uses of funds An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall use such grant to carry out a program under which each eligible student participating in the program— (1) during grades 11 and 12 at a high school served by a local educational agency partner of the eligible entity, enrolls in and completes— (A) STEM and STEM-focused career and technical education courses; and (B) courses that prepare such student for community college and a career in a State-identified high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sector or occupation (within the meaning of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, as in effect on or after July 1, 2019), or the manufacturing field or other vocational or career and technical education field; (2) upon graduating from the high school, enrolls, at a community college partner of the eligible entity— (A) in a course of study related to a career pathway described in paragraph (1)(B); or (B) in a youth apprenticeship program; and (3) upon receiving an associate’s degree from the community college, in the case of a student who has not completed the youth apprenticeship program or joint labor-management training program of the eligible entity, enrolls and participates, for at least a 2-year period, in such youth apprenticeship program or joint labor-management training program. (d) Eligible students To be eligible to participate in a program described in subsection (c), a student shall, prior to participating in the program, demonstrate academic ability and a commitment to pursue a career pathway described in subsection (c)(1)(B). (e) Definitions In this section: (1) Apprenticeship The term apprenticeship National Apprenticeship Act 29 U.S.C. 50 (2) Career and technical education The term career and technical education 20 U.S.C. 2302 (3) Community college The term community college junior or community college 20 U.S.C. 1058(f) (4) Eligible entity The term eligible entity (A) among— (i) one or more local educational agencies; (ii) one or more community colleges; and (iii) one or more youth apprenticeship programs or joint labor-management training programs; and (B) that works with an employer in a State-identified high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sector or occupation described in subsection (c)(1)(B) that is serving, or seeking to expand its capacity to serve, youth apprenticeship programs. (5) ESEA terms The terms local educational agency high school State 20 U.S.C. 7801 (6) In-demand industry sector or occupation The term in-demand industry sector or occupation 29 U.S.C. 3102 (7) Joint labor-management training program The term joint labor-management training program (A) is carried out by a committee that is composed of an equal number of representatives of employers and representatives of employees represented by a bona fide collective bargaining agent; and (B) has been established to conduct, operate, or administer an youth apprenticeship program and enter into apprenticeship agreements with apprentices. (8) Secretary The term Secretary (9) STEM The term STEM (A) science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and (B) other career and technical education subjects that build on the subjects described in subparagraph (A). (10) Youth apprenticeship program The term youth apprenticeship program (A) is designed for an eligible student who at the start of the program is eligible to be enrolled in high school; and (B) incorporates the following: (i) Paid, on-the-job learning under the supervision of skilled employee mentors. (ii) Related classroom-based instruction at a local educational agency or community college partner of the eligible entity aligned with a career pathway described in subsection (c)(2)(A). (iii) Ongoing assessment against established skill and competency standards. (iv) Culmination in a recognized postsecondary credential, with the quality of the training leading to the credential reviewed by the eligible entity. (v) Leads to placement in further education, employment, or an apprenticeship program.

Summary: Youth Access to American Jobs Act of 2019 This bill directs the Secretary of Education to award grants to 10 eligible entities to carry out a program for students to enroll in and complete science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and STEM-focused career and technical education (CTE) courses and other courses during grades 11 and 12 at a secondary school served by a local educational agency (LEA) partner that prepare them for community college and a career in a state-identified high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sector or occupation, or the manufacturing field or other vocational or CTE field; enroll in a course of study related to such a career pathway or in a youth apprenticeship program at the community college upon graduating from the secondary school; and enroll, for a two-year period, in the youth apprenticeship program or the joint-labor management training program upon receiving an associate's degree from the community college. An eligible entity is a partnership (1) among one or more LEAs, community colleges, and youth apprenticeship programs or joint labor-management training programs; and (2) that works with an employer in a state-identified high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sector or occupation that is serving, or seeking to expand its capacity to serve, youth apprenticeship programs.