(a) The Legislature finds that apprenticeship programs provide a valuable educational opportunity that can be enhanced by community and technical colleges that offer associate degrees. Accordingly, the Legislature hereby encourages, but is not requiring, community and technical colleges that offer associate degrees to enter into collaborative agreements with federally registered apprenticeship programs that are registered with the United States Department of Labor.

(b) On or before January 1 of each year, the council shall provide to the Legislature and the Governor a report regarding the collaborative agreements between community and technical colleges and federally registered apprenticeships programs. The report should identify those community and technical colleges that have entered into a collaborative agreement with federally registered apprenticeship programs, the number of students participating in such apprenticeship programs, and the number of community and technical colleges credits earned by students in such apprenticeship programs, and, if available, information on the number of students employed, and the average hours they worked in a relevant field, during such apprenticeship programs.