A coalition of business leaders shaping the future of Colorado’s workforce.
ABOUT
Proud Partners of
the Education to
Employment Alliance
We represent all 64 Colorado counties and thousands of member companies from diverse sectors, geographies, and sizes. Together, our alliance is working to build a talent development system that is learner-centered
and focused on creating pathways to in-demand jobs that employers need and learners want.
THE WHY
Colorado’s education and workforce systems were not designed to meet current needs
Colorado employers can’t find the workers they need. At the end of 2023, economists reported that there were 2 jobs for every unemployed Coloradan, and the skills mismatch means almost 100,000 residents are unemployed despite almost 200,000 job openings. To address Colorado’s challenges, there must be a shared responsibility and active collaboration between business, education providers and government agencies.
OUR PRINCIPLES
Five core principles guide our collective work.
Prioritize learners, not systems, structures, or institutions.
Ensure industry alignment by meaningfully engaging the industry as a co-creator.
Integrate and recognize career-connected learning and in-demand skills.
Leverage and scale innovative non-traditional education and training models to unleash pent-up demand for talent.
Create more transparency of outcomes across the education pipeline and prioritize pathways with strong evidence of impact on critical outcomes.
THE REPORT
Maximizing Human Potential and
Economic Mobility for Coloradans
Executive Summary
Colorado has created a nation-leading economy, attracting headquarters and numerous job expansions. However, Colorado employers have relied on importing talent from elsewhere to meet their needs. With increased competition from other states and a rising cost of living, that pipeline is beginning to dry up, making workforce development a priority for most of the state’s employers. Perhaps more troubling, however, this dynamic means that too much of Colorado’s homegrown talent has missed out on the state’s economic prosperity.
The Alliance believes Colorado must look within to boost homegrown residents’ career pathways, training, and earnings. We are calling for a strong coalition that includes the business community, learning providers, and government entities to work toward the five recommendations in this report. These recommendations address critical challenges identified by the business community. They will position Colorado to produce a reliable stream of workers whose talents match businesses’ needs and help more learners and residents from the Centennial State access sustainable careers that provide economic security.
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
01
Measure outcomes and direct funding to education and training programs that help graduates achieve sustainable careers.
02
Create regional talent-development goals and action plans overseen by a workforce intermediary.
03
Realign the pathways offered in schools with the needs of employers.
04
Streamline and incentivize employer participation in career-connected learning opportunities.
05
Ensure education providers are focusing on the skills that students and employers need.
MEDIA
News Highlights
-
Denver Business Journal
An economic mobility report card for Colorado colleges
-
The Sum & Substance
With a final pen stroke, Polis enacts historic workforce-development package
-
Denver Business Journal
Sick of Colorado’s worker shortage? New alliance invites businesses, industry to the table
-
9NEWS Business Brief
Business Brief: Education to Employment Alliance
-
Southern Colorado Business Forum & Digest
Alliance Opens Pipeline to Better Jobs, Skilled Workforce
-
Colorado Politics
Advancing workforce-development bills aim to give learners in-demand skills
If you’re a member of the media and would like to connect, please contact rvanbrocklin@coloradosucceeds.org.