Substitute Senate Bill No. 1260 seeks to enhance manufacturing workforce training opportunities for women by establishing the Connecticut Career Accelerator Program Account within the Office of Workforce Strategy (OWS). The bill mandates the design of a program to support individuals pursuing commercial driver's license training by July 1, 2024, and to identify additional training opportunities by July 1, 2025. Key provisions include prioritizing outreach to women, developing metrics for training providers, implementing incentive-based payments for trainers, and creating a marketing plan aimed at underserved populations. The bill also requires annual reporting on program implementation and participant demographics, particularly focusing on the number of women involved.

Additionally, the bill mandates that regional workforce investment boards specifically market youth manufacturing training programs to female high school students in grades eleven and twelve. It requires OWS to notify women about available career and financial counseling services, as well as interest-free loans through the Connecticut Career Accelerator Program. The Connecticut State Community College is tasked with providing these counseling services to all women applying for manufacturing training programs. The effective date for these provisions is set for July 1, 2025. Notably, the bill repeals the existing Section 4-124mm and replaces it with the new provisions, emphasizing the importance of supporting women in the manufacturing workforce without deleting any current provisions.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 4-124mm
HED Joint Favorable: 4-124mm
File No. 171: 4-124mm