Northern Colorado K20 Pathways to Employment

About the Report

The K20 Pathways to Employment report was created in response to current and anticipated workforce development challenges in Northern Colorado. It provides a comprehensive overview of existing programs and resources available to learners, while also identifying potential opportunities to support their career and post-secondary success. The report emphasizes the crucial role of proactive workforce development in ensuring the long-term vitality of Northern Colorado.

To craft this report, stakeholders from various sectors, including school districts, higher education institutions, Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development, Employment Services of Weld County, and key regional employers, were interviewed, providing valuable insights.

Key takeaways from the report include:

• The Northern Colorado workforce ecosystem is well-positioned to accelerate and expand the development of more efficient and effective pathways to employment.
• Stakeholders are actively engaged and motivated to foster stronger partnerships with the aim of improving and expanding career-based learning opportunities.
• A regional approach is necessary to ensure that talent pipelines can effectively respond to labor market demands. It also emphasizes the importance of creating programs that prioritize equity, access, and resource sharing beyond traditional boundaries such as schools, districts, higher education, and municipalities.

According to the report, the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce, Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, and The Weld Trust are ideally positioned to convene, activate, and guide key regional stakeholders across the talent continuum. Additionally, funding options from both public and private sources will be explored to support further investment in pathways to employment efforts, taking advantage of any opportunities that arise.