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Committee approves bill allowing Emily Griffith to award applied associate degrees to registered apprentices
Summary
Senators unanimously advanced a bill permitting Emily Griffith Technical College to confer Associate of Applied Science degrees to students enrolled in qualifying registered apprenticeship programs, a change supporters said will help apprentices earn stackable credentials while earning wages.
The Senate Education Committee unanimously advanced legislation authorizing Emily Griffith Technical College to award Associate of Applied Science degrees to students participating in qualified registered apprenticeship programs.
Sponsor Senator Lundin described the bill as a narrowly focused effort to help apprentices "pick up the gen ed requirements" they need to receive an associate degree while completing on-the-job training. "This bill simply allows the Emily Griffith schools to offer associate's degrees of applied science for students participating in qualified registered apprenticeship programs," Lundin said.
Supporters noted Emily Griffith already provides the educational component for the state's apprentices and that many apprentices complete most college credit requirements through the program. "Emily Griffith Technical College is the education provider for over 5,300 apprentices, which is 75% of all registered apprentices in the state," said Randy Johnson, Emily Griffith's executive director. Johnson and other witnesses said allowing the college to confer the degree will increase apprenticeship value and create a clearer academic pathway for career-focused students.
A trades training director said the ability to offer a degree strengthens recruitment and makes apprenticeships a more attractive, debt-free route for students and families. "If I could go to them and tell them, you can have a career as an electrician, you can work, earn money, and get your education and get a degree all at the same time with no debt," said Dan Hendricks, a training director who testified in support.
Committee outcome and next steps: The committee voted unanimously to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole; senators also agreed to place the measure on the consent calendar at the sponsor's request.
Context: Proponents framed the bill as a modest statutory change to permit an area technical college to confer applied associate degrees tied to registered apprenticeship completion and said it would help stack credentials and improve workforce pipelines without changing Emily Griffith's mission or existing successful completion and placement rates.
