Heather Nara, director of the Mesa County Workforce Center, stands with Bob Brasser and Jessica Maiorca.
The Mesa County Workforce Summit, held on Jan. 29, 2025, at the University Center of Colorado Mesa University, is an annual event aimed at bridging the gap between education, training, and workforce needs. The summit brings together educators, business leaders, and workforce development professionals to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the local workforce.
Bob Brasser, senior consultant of stimulus programs, and Jessica Maiorca, senior consultant for WIOA and policy innovation, represented the Colorado Workforce Development Council at the event.
The Mesa County Workforce Summit provided a deep dive into the current and future needs of the local workforce.The event kicked off with a keynote from John Marshall, president of Colorado Mesa University (CMU), who emphasized the importance of connecting education with trade careers. CMU, which started as a two-year school, has expanded into a four-year institution, focusing on making education affordable and accessible for Grand Junction residents. CMU offers innovative programs, such as CMU Tech, which includes a mobile learning lab for welding practice. This initiative helps meet the growing workforce demands in the region, particularly in the trades.
The summit featured sessions led by Director Heather Nara from the Mesa County Department of Human Services Workforce Center. One session focused on how employers can incorporate work-based learning into their training programs, including offering internships that improve workforce retention and support career development.
A standout feature of the summit was the emphasis on work-based learning. High school students in Mesa County are taken on field trips to local businesses, giving them first hand exposure to various career opportunities and broadening their understanding of available education pathways. This experience is key to helping students make informed decisions about their future careers.
CWDC staff were also able to visit Jack Kortz’s mobile welding practice truck, which provides students with hands-on training in welding, preparing them for the workforce.
Key takeaways from the summit:
- Work-Based Learning: Clear examples were shared highlighting how integrating internships and apprenticeships into education programs boosts workforce retention and supports career development.
- Innovative Solutions: Mobile learning labs, such as CMU’s welding truck, bring training directly to students and help meet regional workforce needs.
- Removing Barriers: A focus on skills-based hiring and retention allows businesses to expand the pool of potential applicants The Mesa County Workforce Summit showcased the critical role collaboration between education, businesses, and workforce development professionals plays in creating opportunities for the local workforce.