This bill establishes a statewide talent portal for high-demand jobs and creates a cooperative education program.
This bill:
- creates a statewide talent portal for high-demand jobs in Utah;
- defines high-demand jobs based on growth rate, wages, and societal impact;
- requires a platform that connects Utah employers with qualified candidates from higher education institutions;
- mandates mobile access to the talent portal;
- requires integration with state labor market data and workforce systems;
- establishes regular updates of high-demand job categories based on market trends;
- creates requirements for data analytics and employer verification systems;
- requires annual reporting on portal metrics and outcomes;
- establishes a cooperative education pilot program;
- creates a strategic partnerships between Utah universities and engineering efforts;
- requires participating employers to provide full-time paid cooperative education work experiences;
- establishes a dual mentorship structure with academic and industry advisors;
- creates a framework for granting academic credit for cooperative education experiences;
- requires development of an electronic management system for program administration;
- establishes data collection and analysis requirements for program evaluation;
- mandates annual reporting on program effectiveness and workforce impact;
- establishes liability and risk management protocols for participating institutions; and
- makes technical changes.