Colorado Succeeds

The Colorado Department of Education’s Accountability, Accreditation, Student Performance, and Resource Inequity Task Force has released its final report, offering key recommendations to align Colorado's accountability systems with the needs of today’s learners and communities. Among the priorities highlighted is the importance of leveraging accountability to support Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) opportunities, ensuring all students are prepared for success beyond high school. Colorado Succeeds is committed to partnering with members of the Task Force, the Colorado General Assembly, and other stakeholders to continue to empower schools and districts to provide students with meaningful pathways to economic mobility and lifelong learning. Read more about the report and how the PWR recommendations connect to our ongoing efforts:

Apprenticeship Colorado, part of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), hosted the 7th Annual Colorado Apprenticeship Awards last Thursday. We would like to congratulate this year's awardees and thank them for strengthening #workforcedevelopment opportunities across Colorado! With more than 300 registered programs and 7,000 apprentices, we are proud to be in a state that prioritizes this vital work to create pipelines for in-demand, sustainable careers. More on the CDLE website: https://lnkd.in/guhnUSm2

??? Exciting News for Rural Colorado! ??? Lyra - alongside a coalition of partners including Colorado Succeeds, Colorado Workforce Development Council, Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative, Western Slope Schools Collaborative, and Yampa Valley Partnership - has been awarded a $750,000 grant from Jobs for the Future (JFF) as part of the Quality Green Jobs Regional Challenge! This funding will support the Green Rural Opportunity Workforce Network (GROWN), led by Lyra, connecting 5,000 students in rural Western Colorado to valuable green job opportunities through education and training over the next three years. Through partnerships with local schools, higher education institutions, and industry leaders, GROWN will focus on integrating green skills into education and workforce development pathways. Together, we're empowering the next generation with essential skills for the green economy, building a brighter, more sustainable future for our communities. Thank you to Jobs for the Future (JFF) and Ares Management Corporation for believing in our work! ???? Read more about GROWN and our efforts here: https://shorturl.at/sCD5K #QualityGreenJobs #JFF #RuralEducation #Sustainability #RuralColorado #GROWN #FutureLeaders

Colorado Succeeds Member 9News has been showcasing innovative educational options in Metro Denver through its "Cool Schools" segment for years. Their recent episode features the EPIC (Exploratory Pathways for Innovative Careers) Campus, a unique initiative launched by Littleton Public Schools in August 2023. EPIC provides high school students with hands-on, work-based learning experiences in fields such as aerospace, business, and health sciences. Students have the opportunity to earn college credits and work with industry leaders like Lockheed Martin (also a Colorado Succeeds member!), giving them a head start on their futures. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gF7akaPk #edcolo #homegrowntalent #workforcedevelopment

Every Thursday before Christmas, Shanahan’s Steakhouse opens its doors for a private luncheon for 200 committed business leaders. Part social celebration, part philanthropic effort, the GOOD: Luncheon is a holiday tradition in the Denver business community filled with one-of-a-kind prize drawings, cocktails, and an after-party at Snooze. Colorado Succeeds is honored to have been chosen as the 2024 beneficiary for this exclusive event. Tickets and tables are selling out fast. Reserve your table or seat today to be part of this special occasion: https://lnkd.in/gQUJUzjZ??

We couldn't let #CareersinConstructionMonth pass without highlighting Project SCALE! This innovative, industry-led initiative addresses Colorado's construction and skilled trades talent shortage through navigable and stackable career pathways. With over 30,000 positions unfilled and projected industry growth of 32% by 2030, the labor gap spans all levels. Project SCALE's data-driven, inclusive approach is designed to build sustainable career pathways, benefiting students, job seekers, and employers. While still in its early stages, it serves as a blueprint for how industries can collaborate with education to tackle workforce challenges. Read the case study here: https://lnkd.in/g3m3Dw4q?

October is Careers in Construction Month, and we're excited to highlight an innovative program that's helping build Colorado's next generation of skilled industry professionals. The 100% industry-driven Northern Colorado Construction Sector Partnership is hosting its third annual Construction Con in Loveland on October 23rd. This dynamic event aims to attract new students to the industry via a full day of hands-on learning experiences and presentations about various construction career pathways and sectors. The partnership includes over 600 individual members who are passionate about changing perceptions, building the talent pipeline and the industry community, and prioritizing employee mental health, well-being, and retention. Learn more about Construction Con here: https://lnkd.in/gPvexcYU?

Too often dual enrollment, career navigation supports, and work-based learning opportunities in high schools are not designed to serve all students and are experienced as one-offs instead of as a system of interconnected supports. In partnership with Colorado Succeeds, NORC and JFF, 19 high schools in Colorado are taking a major step to change this by creating an integrated system of postsecondary transition supports designed to serve every student. Check out our blog to learn more about the U.S. Department of Education funded On-Ramps to Postsecondary Transitions (OPT) project in Colorado, where these 19 schools are working to find effective and scalable ways to enable more learners to plan and successfully navigate their pathways from high school to postsecondary education and training and careers. https://hubs.la/Q02Sc0mq0

Colorado Succeeds' Director of Implementation Madison Knapp will share her expertise and insights next week at the Economic Development Council of Colorado's Drive|Lead|Succeed Conference in Beaver Creek. Madison will join fellow panelists Sara N. Butler, Dr. Landon Mascare?az, Amanda Cornelius, and Dr. Karen Cheser to discuss cross-sector collaboration's critical role in boosting postsecondary success for rural students and share actionable strategies. View full event details here: https://lnkd.in/gtkggAER Hope to see you at #DLS2024!

In Education Week's "How Should High School Change? These Districts May Have the Answer," Colorado Succeeds’ Chief of Staff Shannon Nicholas and other leaders from across the U.S. discuss local efforts to transform high school education through work-based learning opportunities. Shannon highlights recent Colorado legislation that has made it easier for students to engage in experiential learning. Yet, while there have been many steps forward, significant work remains to ensure students graduate equipped with the skills our evolving workforce needs. As Shannon put it, “We’re asking educators to open up school schedules and instructor contracts so that students can learn in and outside of school and get credit for their learning. Business and industry partners have to co-create learning opportunities and curriculum so that it’s more relevant and aligned to what the workplace looks like. And students and families have to understand these pathways and what options are available to them. This all takes time, resources, and deep partnership.” Thankfully, Colorado's business community is already stepping up.?“We’ve got a strong employer community that’s really committed to partnering with their school systems to offer job shadows, internships all the way into apprenticeships,” she noted. Read more about the transformative changes happening in high schools and the challenges that remain in Elizabeth Heubeck’s article: https://lnkd.in/ewszvEhr #edcolo #homegrowntalent #workforcedevelopment