March 23, 2020 - On Monday, March 16, the Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) hosted a virtual kickoff of the 2020 WBL Learning Lab as part of the CWDC’s 2020 technical assistance modules.
The WBL Learning Lab is designed to support capacity building efforts for communities actively pursuing work-based learning strategies to address issues in their talent pipeline. Participating communities are working to advance the Thriving Work-based Learning Community model and are eligible to apply for work-based learning grants available through the CWDC. The 12-month Learning Lab module is broken into two phases: Discovery Phase (2 months) and Action Phase (10 months).
Seven communities participated in the virtual kickoff of the discovery phase, which was facilitated in partnership with the Colorado Education Initiative (CEI). During the event on March 16, participants engaged in team work time, empathy building, and systems change exploration, listened to an overview of work-based learning funding opportunities, and explored data related to their demographics and local economies.
Upon completion of the discovery phase, communities will have a draft of their comprehensive work-based learning plan and a landscape analysis. These materials can then be used to submit the application for the CWDC’s work-based learning grants, which will award grants between $10,000 to $75,000 per community.
WBL Learning Lab Discovery Phase Participants
- Adams Work-based Learning Expansion (Adams County Workforce & Business Center, Adams County Education Consortium)
- Arapahoe/Douglas Works! Business Response Community (Arapahoe/Douglas Works!)
- Elizabeth HS Work-based Learning Opportunity (Boeing)
- Boulder County Apprenticeship Task Force (Boulder County Workforce)
- Northern Colorado Work-based Learning Alliance (Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development)
- Financial Services Pathway (Mi Casa Resource Center)
- College of Letters, Arts and Sciences (LAS) Apprenticeship Program (University of Colorado - Colorado Springs)
The CWDC would like to thank everyone who participated and helped to make the training a success. We are grateful for the flexibility and continued engagement of the communities and our partners who made this opportunity possible in a virtual format. In light of COVID-19, the CWDC is working to promote talent development in Colorado through methods that maximize public health considerations, and plans to adjust the WBL Learning Lab and WBL grant application timeline accordingly. Please visit coworkforcecouncil.org to receive updates.