Colorado governor signs two bills in Pueblo to help with jobs

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper put pen to paper Friday in Pueblo that would help high school students after they graduate.

Ryan McWilliams is putting the old Alpha Beta packing plant in the Steel City back to use. He said he has positions to fill.

“We actually have everything from high-tech computer design all the way up to the labor force,” he said.

McWilliams said he would like to have young professionals from Pueblo to have some of those jobs.

“Keeping local is a key issue. We actually would like to keep more Pueblo people,” he said.

A new law could help fill his need. Hickenlooper signed a bill that would give high school students a chance to have jobs after high school.

“Now, we have an education system that us supporting those kids who are coming to us for jobs and they’re actually a little better trained,” McWilliams said.

School districts in Colorado can receive $1,000 for each student that receives an industry credential, complete an apprenticeship or passes an advanced placement computer science program.

“We are finally pushing our businesses and our schools close together because that’s where the real magic happens are kids coming out of high school and ready to work,” Hickenlooper said.

Even if a student doesn’t want to go to college, Hickenlooper said at least they can have a trade they were trained in to prepare them for after high school.

“The idea is to give young people a little bit of a head start on preparing them for jobs and what the world is going to look like if they are not going to a four year college,” he said.

The bill is limited to $1 million, which should help 1,000 students. The bill will go into effect for the 2017-2018 school year.

Hickenlooper also signed a bill in front of the Pueblo Convention Center Friday. The law would help veterans have easier access to jobs because of the skills they learned in the military.