As used in this part:
(1) "Co-op employee" means a student who participates in a cooperative education program and is employed by a participating cooperative education employer.
(2) "Cooperative education employer" means a business or organization participating in the cooperative education program that provides structured work opportunities for students.
(3) "Cooperative education program" or "co-op" means a structured educational pilot program that integrates academic learning with full-time paid work experience aligned with the student's academic discipline and career goals.
(4) "High-demand job" means an occupation or position that:
(a) has a higher than average projected growth rate in Utah;
(b) offers wages at or above the state median wage;
(c) follows star ranking criteria established by the Department of Workforce Services; and
(d) considers occupations that have a high societal demand and impact.
(5) "Participating institution" means the following institutions of higher education:
(a) Weber State University;
(b) University of Utah;
(c) Southern Utah University;
(d) Utah State University;
(e) Utah Tech University; and
(f) Utah Valley University.
(6) "Recent graduate" means a graduate of a program or degree within a year of completion.
(7) "Talent portal" means the Utah High-Demand Talent Portal created in Section 53H-13-402.
(8) "Talent portal administrator" means the Talent, Education, and Industry Alignment Board created in Section 53H-13-302.
(9) "Talent Ready Utah" means the program within the Utah System of Higher Education established in Section 53H-13-303.