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Labor committee advances bill to help land veterans construction apprenticeships

Justin Rost, center, interim director of Helmets to Hardhats Minnesota, and Gary Thaden, left, chair of the Construction Careers Foundation, testify before the House Labor Committee Jan. 23 in support of HF119. Photo by Andrew VonBank
Justin Rost, center, interim director of Helmets to Hardhats Minnesota, and Gary Thaden, left, chair of the Construction Careers Foundation, testify before the House Labor Committee Jan. 23 in support of HF119. Photo by Andrew VonBank

A bill that would grant $800,000 in the upcoming biennium to help veterans and active and retired military service members get into building and construction apprenticeship programs was approved by the House Labor Committee Wednesday.

HF119 is now headed to the House Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Division.

Sponsored by Rep. Mike Sundin (DFL-Esko), the bill would appropriate money from the Workforce Development Fund and grant it to the Construction Careers Foundation for the Helmets to Hardhats Minnesota initiative. The foundation had received $400,000 in the previous biennium for the same purposes, said Foundation Chair Gary Thaden.

House Labor Committee 1/23/19

According to the bill, “Grant funds must be used to recruit, retain, assist, and support National Guard, reserve, and active duty military members’ and veterans’ participation into apprenticeship programs registered with the Department of Labor and Industry and connect them with career training and employment in the building and construction industry.”

By doubling the amount of money granted to the foundation, Thaden said it could better assist the more than 300 military service members who contacted Helmets to Hardhats Minnesota in the previous year, an increase from the 68 individuals who did so in the program’s first year.

“Historically, this program has functioned well within the metro area,” said Sundin, who added it’s now time to boost the program so it can more effectively reach into Greater Minnesota.

A companion, SF103, sponsored by Sen. Michael Goggin (R-Red Wing), awaits action by the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Finance and Policy Committee.


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