On the heels of Labor Day last week, Gov. Laura Kelly issued an executive order creating Kansas’ first Office of Registered Apprenticeship — a new office at the Department of Commerce that will exclusively focus on providing essential instruction and on-the-job training for Kansans looking to work in highly sought-after industries.
This is more good news for our state. In July, we announced that Panasonic will soon be building a $4 billion, 4,000-job electric vehicle battery plant here. And in recent years, Kansas has racked up award after award after award for being a national leader in creating jobs and attracting business investment — an achievement that has driven down our unemployment rate to an all-time low.
As lieutenant governor and secretary of commerce, I work closely with businesses across the state, and just about everyone is celebrating how we’ve been able to turn around Kansas’ economy in recent years. But as our economic trajectory reaches new heights, there’s one thing we still must do: Ensure we have enough skilled workers for all the jobs we’re creating. I hear it again and again. People love doing business here and are eager to create high-paying, quality jobs for Kansans. They just need more workers.
That’s exactly why the Office of Registered Apprenticeship will be a game-changer for our state. Registered apprenticeships have already proven to be one of our most effective economic development tools by creating a more highly skilled and qualified workforce that reduces turnover and increases productivity costs for employers. In recent years, we’ve increased funding for the programs and have seen results: Right now, 3,400 Kansans are “earning and learning” in a registered apprenticeship program, filling out a talent pipeline that will help local businesses across the state stay vibrant and strong.
It’s clear that registered apprenticeship programs are already meeting critical needs in our state by giving Kansans the skills they need for high-paying industries like renewable energy and advanced manufacturing. Now, we’re doubling down on that success. The Office of Registered Apprenticeship will dramatically scale up the apprenticeships offered across the state so that every Kansan — no matter their background or geography — can obtain the tools they need to contribute to our economy. That means creating more pathways for apprenticeships in industries that are particularly in need of workers — such as education and healthcare — and knocking down barriers to employment for veterans, women, people of color and the formerly incarcerated.
I have high hopes for this office. Earlier in the Kelly administration, we created the Office of Broadband Development and have since seen amazing results, including providing 55,000 households and businesses access to high-speed internet since 2019. I am confident we’ll get the same great return with the new Office of Registered Apprenticeship.
All of this is not to say that registered apprenticeships will alone solve our worker shortages. Gov. Kelly and I consider this office just a part of a multifaceted strategy to attract and retain workers and encourage more Kansans to join the workforce. That’s why we’ve increased our stock of affordable housing, encouraged businesses to provide employees with child care and made historic investments in K-12 and higher education.
This is a big step forward for Kansas. By giving people the tools they need to succeed here in Kansas — and not have to look outside the state — we’ve found just one more way to foster a brighter, more resilient and more prosperous future for all who call the Sunflower State home.
