Narrative: II. b.

1. Vision 

Describe the State’s strategic vision for its workforce development system. 

Governor Polis has focused on four key issues: tax reform and economic development, energy and renewables, health, and education and workforce. A priority area for fulfilling this vision is ensuring all Coloradans have access to opportunities for quality, life-long education connected to the future of work. This overarching vision for the state is in alignment with the vision of the Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC), which is charged with aligning the efforts of economic development, education, workforce development, government and business stakeholders at the local, regional and state levels. The CWDC vision is that every Colorado employer has access to a skilled workforce and every Coloradan has the opportunity for meaningful employment, resulting in individual and statewide economic prosperity. 

CWDC ensures the strategic vision for the workforce system remains relevant by convening partners, leveraging resources and working to remove communication and regulatory barriers in order to help businesses create jobs, retain jobs and access a highly competitive workforce. It is CWDC’s mission to enhance and sustain a skill-based talent development network that meets the needs of employers, workers, job-seekers, and learners for today and tomorrow.  

The CWDC has also adopted values that guide how the work of the talent development network is completed. Those values are: Equity, Agility, and Integration. 

In 2022, Governor Polis has sharpened the focus for workforce development to create a state in which workers gain skills through business-led, on-the-job education and training. If training and education are no longer place-based, this shift allows our state to lead in innovative approaches and be nimble and flexible to business needs. Our theory of action that undergirds all of the priorities and strategies outlined in this state plan is that if we focus on developing industry and business-led, on-the-job education and training, we will better align the supply and demand sides of our economy, which results in the skilled talent necessary to meet our workforce job demands.

2. Goals 

GOAL A: ALIGN STATE POLICIES AND FLEXIBLE RESOURCES TO ENSURE ALL COLORADANS HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES FOR QUALITY, LIFE-LONG EDUCATION AND TRAINING CONNECTED TO THE FUTURE OF WORK.

In order to prepare workers for today and tomorrow’s economy, the Colorado workforce development system needs to pool existing resources, expertise, and funding to ensure that all Coloradans have equitable access to training, educational, and employment opportunities. To accomplish this goal, we will formulate, test, and scale the braiding and blending of funding across programs and promote collaboration models to align and streamline the delivery of stimulus dollars, SNAP 50/50, Colorado Works, and other benefits. In recognition of the unique needs of different populations, we will also work to develop and strengthen programming to support targeted populations. 

GOAL B: INCREASE THE AWARENESS OF THE TALENTFOUND NETWORK SO MORE INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES UTILIZE THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO SUCCEED IN THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC. 

The TalentFOUND network offers both workers and employers an array of no-cost services and resources to help them advance their career goals and grow their businesses. Increasing awareness of these resources, as well as those provided through My Colorado Journey, will help advance the state’s economic recovery in the wake of the pandemic. To accomplish this goal, we will enhance My Colorado Journey and educate Coloradans on targeted in-demand career pathways and recovery opportunities; map and promote in-demand industries in a future-ready way with embedded opportunities for work-based learning and apprenticeships (in partnership with businesses and employers); and tell the story of the public workforce system.

GOAL C: PROMOTE CAREER AGILITY FOR ALL COLORADANS.

In a labor market characterized by digitalization, globalization, automation, and technological advances, workers must be able to upskill, reskill, and next-skill in order to remain competitive in today and tomorrow’s economy. In order to connect more Coloradans to quality jobs, we will focus on career attachment strategies with a path to quality jobs and economic prosperity; streamline processes to access lifelong upskilling, next-skilling, and reskilling opportunities that do not create undue financial burden; support businesses and employers to help them enhance job quality and implement skills-based practices; and enhance the delivery of career advising and navigation through technology and staff-delivered services across all systems partners.

GOAL D: STRENGTHEN ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND PARTNERSHIPS TO ADDRESS JOB QUALITY AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY-LEVEL ISSUES IMPACTING ECONOMIC MOBILITY.  

Affordable and accessible childcare, transportation, and housing, as well as high-quality jobs, are the most important determinants of one’s quality of life. We recognize that these determinants are inextricably intertwined and that each one influences the others which is why we will continue to work on strengthening organizational capacity and partnerships to address aspects of workers’ lives that influence their ability to access training, educational, and employment opportunities. We will do so by strengthening alignment and information-sharing across in-person and virtual programs; supporting local boards in engaging businesses and key employers to address community issues including childcare, transportation, and affordable housing; implementing expanded staff training and organizational development plans so that one-stop centers and program partners can adapt when as circumstances require to meet the needs of customers; and increasing digital equity by supporting expanded broadband access and providing digital skill development.

A cross-functional work group comprised of state and local staff was convened to identify and implement strategies for achieving the above stated goal. Colorado has utilized, and will continue to utilize, the following strategies for identification, outreach, recruitment, and service delivery for individuals with barriers to employment: 

• Data Quality - It is imperative that processes for the collection and reporting of relevant data are functioning effectively in order for Colorado to reliably demonstrate service to targeted groups. The aforementioned work group reviewed the functionality of Colorado’s data management and reporting system to ensure its capacity to accurately gather and report this information. 
• Streamlining Intake - The work group studied the various intake processes in Colorado’s local workforce areas with an eye toward maximizing customer value and minimizing waste. The group recommended that unnecessary steps, forms, and functions be discontinued. 
• Partnerships - Reaching and serving our state’s most vulnerable populations requires strong, effective working relationships among the programs and agencies that make up Colorado’s talent development system. State staff has worked, and will continue to work, to foster these partnerships in order to build referral systems and collaborative service delivery platforms that allow for quality wraparound services. 

The following charts detail Colorado’s progress in serving the agreed-upon population groups: 

3. Performance Goals 

Using the table provided in Appendix 1, include the State's expected levels of performance relating to the performance accountability measures based on primary indicators of performance described in section 116(b)(2)(A) of WIOA. (This Strategic Planning element only applies to core programs.) 

Performance measurements are negotiated annually with the US Departments of Labor and Education. Colorado will develop proposed targets for the applicable performance measurements for PY 20 and PY 21. This state plan will be updated as performance targets are negotiated in each program year based on the negotiation process with the federal departments. 

4. Assessment 

Describe how the State will assess the overall effectiveness of the workforce development system in the State in relation to the strategic vision and goals stated above in sections (b)(1), (2), and (3) and how it will use the results of this assessment and other feedback to make continuous or quality improvements. 

Colorado is focused on enhancing its use of evidence to inform workforce development strategies and to influence the design and execution of initiatives. The vision and goals discussed above are theory-informed. By measuring progress and the results of implementation, we will be able to collect data that can move our work along an evidence continuum. Where needed, assessment plans will be developed by the CWDC in partnership with all system programs. The assessment plans will include measurable goals, progress benchmarks, and specific indicators that will be used to monitor progress. Through ongoing WIOA Implementation Team meetings strategies will be assessed for their performance and the implications of that performance on the system overall in relationship to the overarching goals and specific program performance measurements. Internal and external evaluation work will also be conducted to ensure fidelity in our work and improvement in the quality of implementation.