Narrative: III. a. 2. B.

(B) ALIGNMENT WITH ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE PLAN 

The CWDC serves as the convener of all partner agencies, both state and local, that compose the Talent Development System in Colorado. Regardless of a program’s status in regards to this combined plan, all entities are invited to strategic conversations on implementation through regular CWDC meetings, steering committees, and cross-agency planning group. Local workforce boards and programs funded through WIOA are invovled in a wider array of talent development activities that is coordinated through the CWDC and the Governor's Office. The activities that are pursued by this broadbased ecosytem include those discussed herein.

Leveraging Data to Guide Investments: Colorado has begun work to reimagine the ways in which data are used to understand program outcomes, anticipate employer demand, project short- and long-term workforce needs, and assess the value of existing efforts for learners and employers. Based on HB22-1349, CCHE and CDHE are working on a variety of tasks related to better use of data to support student postsecondary and workforce success. CCHE has convened a Technical Working Group comprised of local stakeholders and national experts to work over the course of 2023 to determine and define: 

1. Colorado-specific measures of postsecondary value, including a “minimum economic viability threshold” focused on ensuring that Colorado learners, at a minimum, are able to count on their investment in postsecondary education enabling an increase in their lifetime earnings (over what they would have made had they not pursued postsecondary education) to exceed their cost of attendance (inclusive of the opportunity cost of foregone wages). 

2. Student success measures that analyze the progression of students through postsecondary education and the impact of postsecondary pathways on a student's career opportunities and success. The student success measures must include postsecondary success measures and workforce success measures. 

To achieve these goals, data on postsecondary programs and workforce outcomes will be critical. The well-governed, responsible sharing of data between state agencies will enable Colorado to tell a more holistic story of student experiences in higher education and the returns gained to the individual, to communities, and the state. Per HB22-1349, CDHE completed a report on the current longitudinal data landscape in Colorado (specifically the K-12, postsecondary education, and workforce continuum). The report includes recommendations on ways to deliver a statewide longitudinal data system that connects K-12, postsecondary education, and workforce information. 

While such a system will better showcase what is working in Colorado, data expertise is also a critical part of projecting demand and engaging in effective workforce planning. The federal government has deployed significant funding opportunities through the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA), Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act. Each of these has the potential to fuel a large amount of work in Colorado that will require a ready and trained workforce. 

In order to inform decision makers and predict workforce needs in Colorado available under the (IIJA), the CWDC funded the creation of the Colorado IIJA Workforce Dashboard. This interactive tool is intended to maximize opportunities for the state and Colorado’s workforce as we receive federal funding allocated from the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA). The platform indicates which funds have been awarded and what projects it will support. It also reports in-demand jobs linked to infrastructure and where these occupations are needed across the state. For each high-need job, it provides the associated skills required, the level of difficulty to fill a particular role, training gaps, and the estimated demand.

As of October 2023, funding from the IIJA will create an estimated 42,770 additional jobs in Colorado, boosting the workforce by 28%. Average earnings per job are equal to $97,721 (the average earning level is robust in part due to many occupations being linked to trades and highway infrastructure, which are typically high-paying). This suggests that these new jobs will be high-demand, good paying occupations, bolstering Colorado’s workforce. 

As of the fourth quarter in 2023, Colorado has received approximately $2.2 billion in allocations from IIJA to bolster the workforce in these four sectors of the state’s economy. Work is underway to produce similar estimates related to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Data is also being deployed to promote Colorado’s competitiveness for funding under the "CHIPS and Science Act of 2022”. The act authorizes historic investments in curiosity-driven, exploratory research and use-inspired, translational research. These investments will advance the most innovative ideas across all areas of science and engineering — accelerating their translation to solutions for today's challenges and tomorrow's — at speed and scale.

While the individuals working within this segment of the economy have a deep knowledge of Colorado’s ability to compete for these funds, data must be used to tell that story to the general public, the future workforce of these fields, and federal grant reviewers. A similar dashboard is being developed to articulate the opportunities available under the IRA as well.  

Industry-led Solutions

Sector Partnerships

Colorado’s primary vehicle to engage with business and industry in talent development actions remains the Sector Partnership model. A portion of stimulus funds from HB21-1264 were invested in regional sector partnerships staffing to help strengthen them after the impacts of the pandemic. The grantees selected excel at advancing and supporting sector partnerships, bringing together business leaders, from the same industry in a shared labor market, who work with education, workforce development, economic development, and community organizations to address the workforce and other competitiveness needs of their industry. The funding is being used to increase capacity within regional sector partnerships by hiring a convener role to accelerate industry-led efforts across multiple industries including behavioral health; early childhood education; IT/technology; media & journalism; construction; advanced manufacturing; health care; food, beverage & hospitality; and agriculture. Read more about the impacts of sector partnerships in Appendix C.

Skills-Based Hiring and Work-based Learning 

To propel the breadth of opportunities Colorado has to offer, legislation such as HB22-1215, Executive Order 2022-15, and Executive Order 2023-18 advance skills-based hiring and work-based learning initiatives throughout the state. These provide increased options to train people on-the-job and ensure Colorado employers have the talent they need and workers have the skills for in-demand jobs. The latter Executive Order, signed by Governor Polis in early September 2023, expands the scope of the Governor’s 2022 Executive Order to include and promote other work-based learning programs in state government, including internships, pre-apprenticeships, and fellowships, that support learning through and at work. In addition to creating more jobs and opportunities for all Coloradans, this is expected to bolster lagging state employment ranks and expand the workforce throughout the public service sector.

The Directives of the new Governor’s Executive Order include:  

• Increasing the number of Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPS) within State Departments by 50% by June 30, 2024.
• Increasing the number of Registered Apprenticeships in the private sector by an additional 100 programs by June 30, 2024, through the technical assistance and support offered by the Department of Labor and Employment’s Office of the Future of Work.
• Creating 10 additional work-based learning programs for classifications with high vacancy rates or multi-department positions by June 30, 2025. 
• Directing each Department to implement at least two new work-based learning programs by December 30, 2025.
• Expand pre-apprenticeships opportunities throughout the state. 
  • These are programs designed to prepare individuals to enter and succeed in Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs). 
• Boost internships that expose an individual to the requirements of a particular occupation or industry, the work environment, and the behavioral expectations for success on the job. 
• Increase postsecondary programming that create pathways from high school into the public sector or other post-secondary opportunities.

To continue to widen the accessibility of Colorado’s talent pools and provide diverse advancement opportunities within reach for all, strategic plans that further the state’s talent development network will be critical. In this light, skills-based hiring can help state agencies increase employment of people with disabilities because they tend to:

• Eliminate postsecondary degree completion requirements; 
• Provide clarity to job seekers; and
• Reduce bias in the hiring process.  

By continuing to increase collaboration between business, education, the state, and workforce development, Colorado intends to continue to support and expand current and future efforts that will equip all individuals wanting to work with in-demand skills and increase opportunities for skills-based hiring. These outcomes will be the product of diverse, affordable, and valuable advancement programs, including on-the-job and work-based learning opportunities, such as apprenticeships.

As a result of the efforts of the Polis Administration, the General Assembly, labor organizations, the public workforce system, and the private employers who are innovating their hiring and training practices, Colorado has more than 300 registered apprenticeship programs, including State programs, that support more than 6,000 registered apprentices.

Education and Training Innovations

Short-term Credential Pipelines 

Today job seekers are taking advantage of the expanding non-degree/short-term credentials offered at Higher Ed. Institutions (IHE) across the state. At the same time, employers are responding to this trend by recognizing their workforce values flexibility for earn-and-learn opportunities and fast tracks for advancement. 

A key driver leading to attendance reduction in postsecondary bachelor’s degrees or higher is likely the opportunity cost of foregone wages. Even for learners who pay little, if any, tuition due to federal- and state-provided financial assistance, the full cost of attendance for a degree program can be a challenge, and the time they spend in the classroom is time they otherwise could be spending in the workforce earning wages to provide for themselves and their families.  

Observing this decline, Colorado has been a trailblazer in building out stackable credential pipelines at the state, system, and institutional levels. While this bolsters statewide talent, the workforce, and wages in the state, it also provides positive spillover effects in terms of equity and affordability. In a2023 ROI RAND Corp. study, key findings show how Colorado’s state-specific stackable credential pipeline has helped alleviate potential systematic barriers to stackable credential equity by:  

• Streamlining and scaling information systems/resources while boosting outreach efforts for non-traditional pathways;

• Expanding opportunities to stack credentials in the workforce (largely driven by strengthening coordination across industries and campuses); and 

• Removing challenges for Colorado learners to move from noncredit to credit programs by strengthening coordination between noncredit and credit departments and institutions and investing in outreach to improve awareness.  

Colorado’s actions to strengthen and accelerate stackable credential development across fields and institutions has further narrowed the gap between low-income students and middle- and high-income certificate earners by providing lower-earning vertical stackers with high economic returns. This is highlighted by research finding that Colorado low-income certificate-earners are more likely to earn multiple credentials and go on to earn longer-term credentials (credentials capable of being stacked vertically) at higher rates than middle- and high-income certificate-earners. ¹² This suggests that stackable credential pathwayshelp to advance equity across the state. 

In addition, an increasing number of high school students have access to postsecondary credentials through programs such as the Career Development Incentive Program (CDIP). This program provides financial incentives for schools that encourage high school students to complete qualified industry credential programs and has awarded more than $22 million since its 2016-17 inception.

Colorado’s Postsecondary Pathways Within Reach for All

Over the last two years, Colorado has dedicated record levels of funding to bolster workforce development initiatives across the state and expand access to short-term credentials in high- need areas. With an investment of over $65 million, and through a strategic partnership with the state’s community college system, Colorado’s community and technical colleges are offering free training for students pursuing in-demand jobs. 

Launched in August 2022, theCare Forward Colorado program covers all tuition, fees, and course materials for short-term health care programs. More than 5,000 Coloradans have already completed programs in nurse assisting, phlebotomy, emergency medical services, and other desperately needed professions in the health care sector. This aid comes at a critical time for the health care sector. In 2023, employers are still struggling to find individuals equipped with these skill sets, as eight of the top 10 in-demand certificates between September 2022 and September 2023 are tied to health care occupations.

Building on this model, Governor Polis signed HB23-1246, which expands zero-cost training into additional in-demand fields: construction/infrastructure, education, early childhood education, firefighting, forestry, law enforcement and nursing. The new program, called Career Advance Colorado, launched in July 2023. Together, these initiatives aim to train more than 20,000 Coloradans for high-skill careers while responding to the state’s most critical workforce shortages. 

Career Pathways

In PY23, a coalition of state agencies worked with industry leaders and academic partners to develop career pathways for Agriculture & Natural Resources and Construction & Infrastructure. These pathways were published in July 2023 on My Colorado Journey, the state’s free education and career planning platform. The pathways aim to address the increased demand for construction workers and agricultural and natural resources professionals, strengthen continued career development, and nurture increased public awareness and interest in the industries spurred by the pandemic. The addition of the Agriculture & Natural Resources and Construction pathways bring the total number of industries with published pathways to 13. Data from this year’s Talent Pipeline Report will guide the selection of future industries to focus on for career pathways development.

Colorado’s Public Workforce System

Colorado’s public workforce system continues to be a powerful driver of economic progress by helping connect job seekers and employers to each other and resources. Colorado's public workforce system had an annual economic impact of more than half a billion dollars. This impact is achieved through the services of Colorado’s network of locally run workforce centers and workforce development professionals across the state. 

Workforce centers provide no-cost services and resources to give employers and job seekers a competitive edge to recruit the best talent and pursue meaningful careers. By visiting a workforce center online or in person, employers can access support recruiting and training workers, hosting job fairs, screening and assessing job candidates, obtaining labor market information, and more. Job seekers can receive career coaching, assistance improving resumes and interviewing skills, training opportunities, and connections to jobs and a variety of other resources, grants, and programs. 

Supporting All Coloradans

Digital Equity for All

In 2022, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s (CDLE) Office of the Future of Work (OFW) in collaboration with the Office of eHealth Innovation (OeHI) was awarded funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to create Colorado’s Digital Access Plan. The OFW also applied in collaboration with OeHI, and the Office of Information Technology for the grant funding through the federal Digital Equity (DE) Act., a component of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. 

As of fall 2023, OFW and OeHI are in the process of creating Colorado’s Digital Equity Plan that aims to remove barriers to digital access for each of the covered populations by reviewing already existing data, identifying gaps, and identifying strategies to provide resources and support. Covered populations include: individuals who are English language learners, members of a traditionally marginalized racial or ethnic group, older Coloradans, justice-involved, identify as having a disability, are a veteran, or live in rural Colorado. Through SB22-140, the OFW and Serve Colorado partnered to launch a Digital Navigator AmeriCorps program that began recruiting members in September 2023.  

Progress made to Colorado’s State Digital Access Plan include: 

• The State of Colorado expects to receive about $20M in capacity funds in the first quarter of 2024 to implement the objectives established in the State Digital Access Plan.
• In mid-2023, 21 community-based organizations were awarded funding to support their customers and clients in participating in a statewide digital equity survey. Results from the survey will be used to establish baselines for measurable objectives that will be included in the plan.
• The team collected critical data for this plan through the Statewide Digital Equity Survey and the Digital Equity Ecosystem Mapping survey reaching thousands of Coloradans and hundreds of organizations across the state.

In July 2023, Colorado was approved to receive $827 million in federal funding to accelerate broadband access efforts across the state through the NTIA’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. This allocation is meant to accomplish the goal set out by Governor Polis, along with the Colorado Broadband Office, and other leading legislators to connect 99% of Coloradans with adequate internet by 2027. “Adequate access” is defined by the state as having at least 100 megabits per second download and 20 mbps upload speeds. 

As mentioned earlier, currently in Colorado roughly 90.2% of households within the state are considered to have adequate access to broadband, with approximately 190,000 households with little or no high speed access. Endeavors will largely prioritize underserved communities in the state that have undergone hardships without having access in their place of residence. Affordability for household services and infrastructure solutions in rural areas are intended to be two essential elements driving the course of action in funding disbursement.  

Office of Just Transition 

The Colorado Office of Just Transition (OJT) assists communities and workers transitioning away from the mining and burning of coal as an energy source. Created by the Legislature in 2019 (C.R.S. 8-83-501 through 506), OJT was the first state office of its kind and is guided by the Colorado Just Transition Action Plan. This plan was based on recommendations from OJT’s advisory committee and was updated in 2023.  For a complete look at the Colorado Just Transition Action Plan, see Appendix I. 

In 2023, six coal-fired power plants and six coal mines remained in operation in Colorado. By the end of this decade, all the power plants are scheduled to close. This means that most of the mines are likely to close as well. OJT estimates that nearly 3,000 miners, power plant workers, and supply chain workers will lose their jobs when this happens, and that communities like Craig, Hayden, and Brush will lose a significant amount of their property tax bases.

To meet this challenge, OJT’s has two overarching goals:

• To help communities end up with more family-sustaining jobs, broader property tax bases, and greater economic diversity: and
• To help workers who are laid off from the coal industry or related supply-chain businesses secure good new jobs with family-sustaining incomes without sacrificing their families’ economic security – including secure retirements for older workers who may not wish to remain in the workforce.

In this work, the office takes its lead from the communities and workers themselves.

Based on legislation to date, OJT expects to receive approximately $45 million over the next decade to assist communities and workers. Strategies for communities include direct grants as well as economic development planning and technical assistance, among others. Assistance for workers include a comprehensive and flexible program of strategies, ranging from career and financial planning, tuition assistance, small business start-up, retirement planning, and other support for workers and their families.

Creating New Partnerships

Opportunity Now: Catalyzing Transformative Change for Colorado’s Workforce

Led by Colorado’s Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT), Opportunity Now Colorado was born out of the 1330 task force and codified by Colorado’s General Assembly in HB22-1350 to focus on how we modernize education to be more responsive to business needs and support business to co-create talent to fill Colorado’s in-demand jobs. 

The goals of the $85M program are to:

1. Help meet statewide or regional workforce development needs in order to recover from the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic
2. Create intentional pathways between education and employment that allow students and workers to transition more easily in and out of these systems, ensuring a higher skilled and educated workforce
3. Provide more opportunities for regional students and workers to be more economically mobile and earn a living wage in an in-demand, high-skill, high-wage occupation

In its first phase of funding, 426 applications were received from 1,000+ industry and education partners, and ultimately, $27 million was distributed to 46 grantees in all OEDIT regions. The public workforce system and programs funded under WIOA have been local partners in grant applications and have helped supply data that has informed the development of new program in response to this grant.