Don Haddad, superintendent of the St. Vrain Valley School District, was appointed to serve on the Business Experiential Learning Commission, or BEL Commission.
The BEL Commission works to integrate experiential learning opportunities in order to develop Colorado’s worker pipeline.
The commission is exploring innovative ways to incorporate apprenticeships and work-based learning into schools across the state.
“Creating valuable experiential learning opportunities for Coloradans requires innovative leadership from our business community and meaningful collaboration with education, workforce, and government partners,” said Noel Ginsburg, co-chair of the BEL Commission and founder and CEO of CareerWise. “I am excited to work with these new and appointed members who bring a wealth of diverse experience to advance our work to support Colorado businesses, learners, and workers.”
SVVSD offers many of these opportunities for students who decide college is not for them, but believes it has room to grow, Haddad said.
In June, SVVSD was awarded a $7 million Opportunity Now Colorado grant. Through this grant, SVVSD will become a hub that will coordinate similar opportunities in schools throughout Northern Colorado. According to Haddad, apprenticeships and work-based learning provide students with the opportunity to begin lucrative careers right out of high school making $50,000+.
Haddad sees the work the commission will do as another opportunity to broaden student opportunities in a variety of pathways for students across the state, he said.
“We are turning over every stone for students,” Haddad said.
