Colorado has made significant investments in workforce development over the course of the last decade. These investments have blurred the lines between K-12, higher education, and workforce training; improved the accessibility of training by providing free credential opportunities and promoting additional modes of training like apprenticeship; and strengthened demand-driven approaches to talent development. The Colorado Talent Pipeline Report builds off of a portfolio of work across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors; makes sense of these efforts; and suggests where there are new opportunities to support Colorado learners and businesses succeed in the talent marketplace.
During the 2024 legislative session, Colorado lawmakers passed several bills to strengthen our state’s talent development ecosystem. Items directly connected to the policy recommendations in last year’s Talent Pipeline Report include authorizing a statewide longitudinal data system (HB24-1364) and expanding the Opportunity Now program through new tax credits and talent summits (HB24-1365). The themes brought forth last year continue to be relevant as state agencies move into implementation of these pieces of legislation, and two of those themes are carried forward this year: 1) Strengthen Support for Employers’ Talent Development, and 2) Increase the Availability of Career-connected learning opportunities.
In order to continue expanding Colorado’s talent pipeline and to support economic growth, three recommendations are being brought forward.
Recommendation One: Strengthen support for employers’ talent development
Colorado’s strong record of economic growth over the past 15 years is due in part to our focus on demand-driven talent development strategies. The current pace of change and need for skill development can at times, however, run faster than the necessary timeline for curriculum development in many educational settings. Employers are often best positioned to inform upskilling programs for their specific industry, and our state benefits when business and industry are co-producers of talent with education and skill development partners.
The Regional Talent Summits Act, established by House Bill 24-1365, aims to address workforce shortages by convening state and regional stakeholders to discuss the economic and workforce needs of Colorado’s diverse communities. This program will bring together regional industry, business associations, community-based organizations, talent development practitioners, local workforce centers, local education providers, institutions of higher education, and state agencies to identify and prioritize the skills needed in a particular community. These convenings will build important local relationships to ensure that skill development is aligned to economic development goals and real business needs. One objective of these convenings is to produce two and five year tactical plans that develop career pathways in specified fields facing regional workforce challenges. These plans will be shared in future Talent Pipeline Reports and used to inform additional state policy work.
In addition to strengthening business’ voice in talent development, these summits will also help create stronger links between the state and local implementers. The summits will be led by regional hosts, who will help identify the right changemakers in their community and carry partnerships forward. Regional hosts will also contribute to an annual progress report by working with their local workforce board to track outcomes from the summits. By working in concert with well organized local contributors, the state will be better positioned to execute workforce policy in the future.
We recommend that legislators stay attuned to the work of these summits and the plans that will be developed to inform future policy work.
Recommendation Two: Increase the availability of career-connected learning opportunities
Policy makers have championed several bills over the past four years that are transforming the pathways from secondary education to the workforce. We encourage the legislature to continue its support of the statewide longitudinal data system and to act on the recommendations that will be brought forth in the financial study on post-secondary and workforce readiness programs. The continuous improvement of programs that serve Colorado’s youth will strengthen our supply of talent and enhance Colorado’s economic competitiveness. As legislators consider additional actions beyond those already in motion, the report released in December 2023 by the Secondary, Post-secondary and Work-Based Learning Integration (1215) Task Force provides the best roadmap for actions supported by a wide array of stakeholders in the system.
Recommendation Three: Ensure the Design of Colorado’s talent development ecosystem is optimized for innovation, governance, and results
Federal and state legislation that guides workforce development, education, and skill development is scattered across multiple agencies, divisions, and offices. Guidance and funding then comes into our state through a web of agencies and service providers who are connected by formal and informal agreements. While Colorado’s education and training system has helped thousands of Coloradans attain the skills they need for the jobs they want, there are opportunities to break down silos and make the system more efficient, high performing, responsive to industry, and user centered. Additional analysis should be done to identify where Colorado’s education and training system can reduce barriers for learners, earners, and employers.