The recent RMWDA (Regional Mountain Workforce Development Association) Conference was a vibrant hub of learning, networking, and innovation. The CWDC was thrilled to see so many impactful sessions and engaging discussions. Here are some of the key takeaways and highlights from the event:
Engaging with the K-12 System
- Session: Engaging the K-12 System
- Presenter: Sami Mooney
- Key Takeaways: This session focused on increasing background knowledge of education system outcomes and strategies to address challenges when industry/workforce engages K-12. Participants gained insights into navigating the K-12 system and how workforce centers can engage strategically.
Innovative Partnerships
- Session: Innovative Partnerships: Scaling Impact with Collaborative, Tech-Enabled Workforce Solutions
- Presenters: Kara Johnson, Michelle Foley, Andrew Berchich
- Key Takeaways: The session highlighted a Jefferson County partnership with FreeWorld, which operates in 8 states with 50% of staff being justice-involved. Jefferson County Workforce developed a “frictionless user experience” by partnering with FreeWorld. Key points included the importance of strategic partnerships to serve untapped talent like justice-involved individuals and FreeWorld's focus on upskilling for the trucking industry with impressive national data on CDLA license attainment and industry employment.
Modernizing Career Pathways
- Session: Join the Movement: Modernizing Career Pathways
- Presenters: Thomas Hartman, Bobbie Wolfe
- Key Takeaways: With 66 attendees, the feedback on the Quality Career Pathways Framework was overwhelmingly positive. There's an opportunity for the framework to illustrate connections between existing NDC frameworks and Job Quality.
Career Coaching and Mindset
- Session: “Career Coaching: Finding your Ikigai and having a challenge mindset”
- Presenter: Thomas Hartman
- Key Takeaways: 43 attendees participated in an interactive mapping of their Ikigai and used challenge cards to find their “What the world needs.”
Modernizing Connecting Colorado
- Sessions: Modernizing Connecting Colorado: Cultivating Business Success & Modernizing Connecting Colorado: Building Career Pathways & Support
- Presenters: Stephanie Mufic, Julie Palacios, Nicholas Brandt, Aaron Weisser
- Key Takeaways: Connecting Colorado is a powerful tool for Career Services customers, matching careers and skills to future employment. It complements MyColoradoJourney, which serves career seekers with exploration needs. The ETPL has been imported into CoCo, and there's a vision for CoCo to be THE workforce system for all. Business Services will be able to see skills of occupations highlighted by employers.
Evaluation and WIOA Implementation
- Session: Evaluation - who, what, why, next steps
- Presenters: Robin Bauknecht, E&T CDLE; Greg McBoat, Adams County Human Services; Yolanda Clark, Northern Illinois University; Brian Richard, Northern Illinois University; Barbara Larsen, Workforce Boulder County; Peter Schmitz, DEDO; Kristin Clark, Jefferson County
- Key Takeaways: The presenters provided an overview of what evaluation is and discussed how Colorado is leading on measuring the impact of public workforce system programs.
NoCo Works Initiatives
- Session: NoCo Works: Mobilizing a Two-County Region for Strategic Workforce Development
- Presenters: Kelsey Baun, Lisa Taylor
- Key Takeaways: NoCoworks.com has published an Economic Inclusion: Inclusive Engagement Guide and an External Barriers Report focusing on child care, housing, and transportation.
The RMWDA Conference provided valuable insights and opportunities for collaboration. We look forward to continuing to work to advance workforce development through a skills-based talent development network in Colorado.
Key takeaways were synchronized with the assistance of Gemini