Colorado Workforce Development Council uses SLFRF funds to provide access to free career coaching for thousands of Colorado workers
March 23, 2023 - The Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) announces the launch of the Career Navigation and Coaching Collaborative, a statewide career coaching program for any Colorado resident, specifically those who have been displaced during the pandemic.
The program employs and trains 26 career coaches to serve Coloradans who are looking for jobs, looking to switch careers, explore continuing education, advance, or simply take the first steps toward a fulfilling and rewarding career.
Grant money from the Coronavirus State Local Fiscal and Recovery Funds Act provided funding to hire one career coach for every local workforce area, including 12 who support a variety of community based organizations.
The Colorado Rural Workforce Consortium acquired an additional five coaches to support a virtual region with digital coaching services to provide more access and flexibility for those seeking services.
“We are excited to offer virtual services in order to further expand the reach of the program and ensure Coloradans, particularly those who have historically been marginalized in the workforce, have the access they need to be successful,” said CWDC Assistant Director of Systems Innovation Renise Walker.
The virtual region provides coaching in both English and Spanish, and serves individuals outside of the typical 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. business hours to ensure access for those unable to travel to a physical location. The program is open to those who have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, with varying eligibility requirements that can easily be navigated with the help of a career coach.
“Career coaches are a vital resource to learners and job seekers,“ says CWDC Consultant James Warren, who spearheads the project. “Coaches can help build confidence and reduce barriers to employment by helping people identify their skills and interests, and map out the steps needed to successfully pursue their career, educational and personal goals,” says Warren.
In anticipation of the launch, the new career coaches have been immersed in weekly training sessions led by Radicle Coaching, LLC, an organization specializing in one-on-one and group career coaching, in order to better understand and continually improve their ability to serve Coloradans across the state.
To learn more about the Career Coaching Collaborative, visit cocareercoaching.org and fill out the interest form, or check out the coaching grantees on the CWDC’s Grant Recipients websitepage to see if there is a nonprofit offering coaching near you.
The Career Coaching Collaborative was created and designed to better support workers in navigating career opportunities and make informed choices about the training and employment steps needed to reach their goals.
Organizations participating in the Career Coaching Collaborative include:
Colorado Workforce Centers -
- Adams County Workforce and Business Center
- Arapahoe/Douglas Works!
- Denver Workforce Center
- Employment Services of Weld County
- Jefferson County Business and Workforce Center
- Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development
- Mesa County Workforce Center
- Pikes Peak Workforce Center
- Workforce Boulder County
Nonprofit Organizations -
- Center for People with Disabilities (Boulder)
- Center for Work Education and Employment (Denver)
- Emily Griffith Technical College (Denver)
- Forward Steps (Boulder)
- Generation Schools Network
- I Have a Dream Foundation (Denver)
- Mi Casa Resource Center (Denver)
- Mile High Youth Corps (Denver)
- Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center (Denver)
- Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning (Denver)
- Virtual Career Coach
- Youth Employment Academy (Denver)
Participants can receive career coaching to help them identify and take the next step in their careers at no cost to them through the Career Coaching Collaborative until December of 2024.