Career Pathways

In Colorado, industry-driven, competency-based career pathways ensure that education, training, and workforce systems stay attuned and responsive to the needs of the labor market in order to:

• Ensure businesses have access to appropriately skilled talent pipeline. 
• Prepare students and workers with the skills and credentials they need for jobs and careers.

Annually, CWDC, Colorado Community College System and the Colorado Department of Higher Education engage in a collaborative effort to integrate pertinent career pathway information into My Colorado Journey. 

Recent Activities

Annual Career Pathways Data Update in My Colorado Journey

Discover new career opportunities with updated career pathways data in My Colorado Journey. We’ve integrated the latest industry insights to help Colorado residents make informed, impactful career decisions that align with state workforce needs. Learn more about career pathways tailored for you. Our refreshed Salary and Education Investment Comparison Tool on My Colorado Journey provides clear, current data to help you understand the financial benefits of different career and education options. This data is updated annually from the Colorado Department on Higher Education. Explore the ROI tool.

Aerospace and Public Safety Career Pathways Released

The CWDC, in partnership with the Colorado Department of Higher Education and Colorado Community College System, launched two new career pathways in the My Colorado Journey career navigation and education platform. 

Job seekers and students who are looking to explore or advance their Aerospace and Public Safety career will now have access to career pathways, trajectories and annual salaries, job descriptions, skills, education, training programs, and resources to successfully take their next steps toward a brighter professional future in one of Colorado’s in-demand industries.

The pathways aim to address increases in demand for aerospace and public safety professionals, strengthen continued career development, and nurture increased public awareness and interest.

The addition of the Aerospace and Public Safety pathways bring the total number of industries with published pathways to 15. All of these can be viewed in the Careers in Colorado section of My Colorado Journey. To map career steps and identify resources and tools, you must create a free, secure account to start. 

Public Health Career Pathway Refreshed

Public Health career pathways and occupations were initially published in 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Post-pandemic, industry partners requested that we update the qualitative information to reflect the industry's current state. These career pathway maps are published and publicly available on My Colorado Journey.

Next Pathways 

Starting 07/11/2024 - 06/30/2025, the CWDC will be working on Creative Industries and Financial Services career pathways.

Definitions

Career Pathway System

A career pathway system is made up of multiple career pathway programs that span educational institutions, workforce, and support service partners. A career pathway system aligns public partners and engages them in a continuous conversation that is led by industry to ensure that job seekers and students move seamlessly through and among support programs, educational institutions, training opportunities, and work-based experiences to build skills and credentials that meet industry demand and prepare them for jobs and careers.

Career Pathway Programs

A career pathway program offers a clear sequence of stackable credits and credentials, combined with support services, which enables students and job-seekers to secure industry-relevant skills, certifications, and credentials and advance to higher levels of education and employment in high-demand occupations.  

Competency-based Hiring, Education, and Training

Colorado is facing a skills gap that, if unaddressed, will diminish the ability of the economy to grow and limit the upward mobility of individuals throughout the state. Shifting our talent development network to embrace a competency-based approach to hiring, education, and training has been identified as a key strategy to address this gap and keep Colorado’s economy and its citizens moving forward. A competency-based approach is necessary because skills are the best predictor of a successful hiring outcome and competency-based models expand access to education opportunities beyond high school.