Governor signs bill in Pueblo optimistic it will spur economy

The education bill is expected to help more students attain technical education while in high school.

Gov. John Hickenlooper signs HB16–1289 surrounded by local legislators Friday at Brues Alehouse on Pueblo’s Riverwalk. Photo by Kara Mason

Gov. John Hickenlooper and local leaders packed Pueblo’s Brues Alehouse on the Riverwalk Friday for a bill signing that aims to incentivize Colorado school districts for adding industry-certificate, internship, and pre-apprenticeship programs at high schools.

“This specific bill builds a bridge between the schools and the business community and that’s a big part of what will help the kids succeed and hopefully and keep them in school longer and get that degree,” Hickenlooper told reporters following the bill signing.

The bill, which was sponsored by three local lawmakers and a Denver representative, was part of a bipartisan workforce package that featured several other bills to help increase resources for technical skill education during this year’s legislative session.

Pueblo was the ideal place to sign the bill because the city has a lot to benefit from it, Hickenlooper said.

“This is the kind of thing that will attract business to Southern Colorado. And hopefully improve Pueblo’s quality of life,” he said. “We’re finally kind of pushing our businesses and schools to work together because that’s where the real magic happens.”

Pueblo businessman and railway engineer Ryan McWilliams, who is behind the Alpha Beta meatpacking plant redevelopment, said HB1289 would be beneficial to his plans of growing the rail industry in Pueblo.

“This (bill) really helps in two ways,” McWilliams told PULP. “It’s education but it’s also educating the community. It gives a realistic and unbiased perspective to what we’re doing.”

Through hands-on learning in an internship or certificate program, McWilliams said the bills helps connect students to the businesses that are investing into the local economy, and that’s what lawmakers are hoping will help surge Pueblo’s economy.

“At the same time they’re learning skills they can translate immediately into a job,” Hickenlooper said. “Once a kid has a job, there’s a lot less motivation to move somewhere else.”

Pueblo’s economy was once behind the rest of the state because graduates would move north, Hickenlooper said. But he believes that is changing, and building the workforce through HB1289 will continue that trajectory.

“The more skills that a young person has — and that can be how to read a legal brief, how to weld, you name it — as you get skills you get paid more,” Hickenlooper said. “CSU-Pueblo has a great program in cyber security. Kids are learning simple coding. Once you do a few years of classes, you’re going to get a job at $55,000, $65,000, $70,000. That’s real money.”

The average welder makes $41,000 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s the same as Pueblo’s average income, which is $20,000 less than the state average.

The governor added millennials are looking for quality of life such as places like Brues Alehouse, music venues, bike trails and good schools for their children. And while the bill doesn’t directly affect those specifics of quality of life, it’s adding opportunity that will get hopefully allow for better of quality of life.

“Once a kid has a job, there’s a lot less motivation to move somewhere else.” — Gov. John Hickenlooper

Co-sponsor Rep. Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo, said just because some students — around half of high school graduates in Pueblo — don’t attend college shouldn’t mean they are limited to low-paying wages.

“We looked at how this could apply to medicine and other industries outside of what’s available in Pueblo,” Esgar said, adding that she’s hopeful it will help diversify the city’s economy outside of what has been the focus since the mid 1980s — manufacturing.

The next step, she said, is working with economic development organizations and local governments to see how the bill can best work for each community.

Starting in the 2017–2018 budget year HB1289 will designate at least $1 million for school districts that decide to participate in the pilot program. For each student that earns an ‘identified industry certificate’ the school district will receive $1,000.