June 12, 2020 - As we know, 2020 has brought dramatic changes to our economy. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, access to useful and actionable information about employment, education, and training, and about how to best match skills, knowledge, and aspirations with good jobs, is more important than ever.
Robust workforce and education information systems, with multiple access points, are critical for our workers and students as we enter into an uncertain economic future.
As we face historic levels of unemployment in Colorado and the nation, those with lower levels of educational attainment are experiencing the greatest job loss.
As the country recovered from the Great Recession of 2008, workers with at least some postsecondary education captured 11.5 million of the 11.6 million net new jobs created during the recovery.
Today, many Americans recognize the increasing demands for additional education and training needed to get on and stay on a stable career path. According to a Strada Education Network survey “one-third of Americans believe they would need more education to find a comparable job if they were to lose theirs.” (The Public Viewpoint: COVID-19 Work and Education Survey, April 2020)
Connecting Colorado’s Workers to Critical Career Information
People seeking good jobs in a fragile economy need information about available jobs and a full understanding of all potential career pathways. This helps workers find new career paths and better understand what education and training opportunities exist for them to secure high-quality, long-term employment.
The ability to access information virtually has become even more important in the time of COVID-19. The My Colorado Journey platform is an innovative state effort to expand access to education and career data to help students and job seekers land on their feet. It provides user-friendly, personalized information to find pathways to good jobs and upgrade skills and credentials.
My Colorado Journey:
- Centralizes the most powerful career, education, and human services programs and tools, making it easier for the job seeker or student to access information.
- Aligns and streamlines services to be more cost-efficient.
- Provides a wide range of clear, in-demand options and pathways for students and job seekers.
- Supports continuous learning and skill development.
- Serves business and industry by better matching job seekers with the skills and knowledge employers need.
My Colorado Journey was developed before the rapid expansion and impact of COVID-19 to address existing structural changes in the economy that have led to widening wage and skill gaps. Today, My Colorado Journey’s vision -- to effectively match workers’ skills and aspirations to prospective employers and careers in fields with good, well-paying jobs -- is more important than ever. Download a My Colorado Journey flier with this information.
