County backs youth pre-apprenticeship goal; Peaslee Tech identified as primary partner

Douglas County staff told commissioners on July 10 that a supplemental funding request for a youth pre-apprenticeship effort is intended to expand post-secondary, workforce-focused programming tied to the county’s anti-poverty community health plan, and that Peaslee Technical Institute (Peaslee) is the primary partner organizing the work.

County staff described the pre-apprenticeship proposal as flowing from the anti-poverty plan’s post-secondary strategy and said Peaslee already runs tours, in-school visits, and pre-apprenticeship activities for middle- and high-school students. Housing and human services program staff told commissioners Peaslee frequently accommodates school groups and that the institute regularly coordinates with local school districts and receives requests that exceed its current capacity. Staff said the funding would support tuition, instructional materials, tools, supplies and access to labs and workshops necessary to expand capacity.

Commissioners asked several questions: whether the programming runs during the school day (staff said yes, it can), how students are identified (staff said schools identify participants), whether all county schools participate (staff said Peaslee engages with schools across Douglas County but would confirm the complete list), and whether the school district contributes per-pupil funds (staff confirmed districts receive per-pupil funding and could potentially support such programming). Commissioners also asked whether the request should come directly from Peaslee; administration said the program could have been submitted by Peaslee but was instead included as an administration request because the pre-apprenticeship strategy originated in the community anti-poverty plan.

Staff noted a larger Peaslee fundraising campaign (Peaslee Promise) underway to support expanded programming; commissioners asked staff to follow up with Peaslee and the school district to identify exact costs per student, materials and lab access needs before deliberations.

Ending: Staff agreed to follow up with Peaslee and the school district on participation, costs, and how much school-district funds might offset the county request; no funding decision was made at the hearing.