Insurer joins in apprenticeship program

Noel Ginsburg
Noel Ginsburg
Beth Soberg
Beth Soberg

A health insurance company has joined in efforts to offer youth apprenticeships in Mesa County.

UnitedHealthcare has announced plans to fund a program manager position for the next two years in Mesa County to promote and manage apprenticeships offered through CareerWise Colorado.

“Grand Junction is an innovative and motivated community that sees the power of this program and has hit the ground running to promote these apprenticeships. Our partners, like the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce, Mesa School District 51 and Western Colorado Community College, are doing incredible work to ensure students have the skills needed to continue growing the local economy,” said Noel Ginsburg, chief executive officer of CareerWise Colorado. “We thank UnitedHealthcare for funding this new program manager position, which we believe will be invaluable to the community.”

Beth Soberg, CEO of UnitedHealthcare of Colorado said apprenticeships will help local businesses grow and succeed. “UnitedHealthcare is grateful for the opportunity to partner with CareerWise to develop the potential of youth in communities along the Western Slope and to support the growth of this apprenticeship program in the communities of Mesa County.”

CareerWise Colorado coordinates apprenticeships among businesses, high school students and educators. Students completing the program earn wages while gaining real-world skills, industry credentials and college credit that provide them with options to enter the workplace or continue their education. Businesses benefit from the program as they take a more hands-on approach to building their work forces.

In Mesa County, the program manager will ensure students are employed by training company partners starting this summer. Participating businesses will offer positions in advanced manufacturing, business operations, project management and technology.

UnitedHealthcare offers health benefit programs for employers, individuals and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. The company contracts directly with more than 1 million health  care professionals and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. For more information, visit www.uhc.com.

For more information about CareerWise Colorado, log on to the website at www.careeerwisecolorado.org.