January 2011: Preparing Workers for Jobs Requiring More than High School Diploma, Less Than a Four-Year Degree
CONTACT: Paula Gomez Farrell, SkillBuild Colorado (303) 398-7407 Paula.GomezFarrell@skillbuildcolorado.org
Business, Labor, Community Leaders Launch New Campaign Focused on Preparing Workers for Jobs Requiring More than High School Diploma, Less Than a Four-Year Degree
Skills2Compete – Colorado campaign to work with policy makers to ensure Colorado’s workforce has the skills needed to meet business demand, foster innovation, and achieve economic prosperity
DENVER— A coalition of business, labor, education and community leaders launched a campaign this week called Skills2Compete-Colorado. Skills2Compete-Colorado is a non-partisan campaign focused on ensuring Colorado’s workforce has the skills needed to meet business demand, foster innovation, and achieve economic prosperity. The coalition is led by SkillBuild Colorado in partnership with the National Skills Coalition.
The campaign calls on state leaders to embrace a strong vision to guide an economic and education strategy that would ensure every Colorado resident has access to the equivalent of at least two years of education or training past high school—leading to a vocational credential, industry certification, or the first two years of college—to be pursued at whatever point and pace makes sense for individual workers and industries. Every person must also have access to the basic skills and support needed to pursue such education.
The campaign’s diverse and growing list of endorsers includes leaders from business, labor, education and training, community groups, and the public sector. The campaign’s Advisory Committee includes: the Rose Community Foundation, the City of Denver’s Division of Workforce Development, the Colorado Community College System, the Weifield Group, the Bell Policy Center, FRESC, Constructors and Designers Alliance, Colorado Center on Law and Policy, and iCAST.
The Colorado Skills2Complete Campaign will also collaborate with other organizations to educate policymakers and seek opportunities for aligning their resources to increase the availability and access to education and training for workers. They will also collaborate in providing the skilled workers needed by businesses and industry for economic recovery and growth.
“We are pleased to be partners with several local and state organizations in launching this Colorado Skills2Compete Campaign. This campaign will leverage resources toward the common purpose of ensuring that all Colorado citizens have access to opportunities for economic success,” says Elsa Holguin, SkillBuild Colorado, Steering Committee Chair and Senior Program Officer, Rose Community Foundation.
“An education and training strategy guided by the Skills2Compete vision will give Colorado a competitive edge for recovery and long-term growth,” says Paula Gomez Farrell, SkillBuild Colorado Director. “As Colorado looks to remain a strong competitor in the global economy, it’s critical that we prepare workers for the jobs of the future. We look forward to developing and implementing this economic and education strategy that will help Colorado residents obtain the skills they need to prepare for middle and high skill jobs and careers that contribute to economic prosperity.”
### About Skills2Compete
Skills2Compete is a non-partisan campaign led by the National Skills Coalition to ensure the U.S. workforce has the skills needed to meet business demand, foster innovation, and grow broadly shared prosperity. The campaign’s diverse and growing list of endorsers include national and local leaders from business, labor, education and training, community and civil rights groups, and the public sector. The Skills2Compete Vision: Every U.S. worker should have access to the equivalent of at least two years of education or training past high school—leading to a vocational credential, industry certification, or one’s first two years of college—to be pursued at whatever point and pace makes sense for individual workers and industries. Every person must also have the opportunity to obtain the basic skills needed to pursue such education.
National Skills Coalition organizes broad-based coalitions seeking to raise the skills of America’s workers across a range of industries. We advocate for public policies that invest in what works, as informed by our members’ real-world expertise. And we communicate these goals to an American public seeking a vision for a strong U.S. economy that allows everyone to be part of its success. For more information, visit www.nationalskillscoalition.org or contact Zach Silk, (206) 361-6437 – cell, zachs@nationalskillscoalition.org
About SkillBuild Colorado
SkillBuild Colorado is a workforce funding collaborative housed at the Rose Community Foundation, jointly funded by 10 funders, to improve workforce development in Metro Denver and Colorado; bringing together philanthropy, government, community organizations and employers to address the twin goals of helping low-income individuals attain family supporting jobs and businesses train, hire and retain skilled workers. SkillBuild Colorado is one of 22 funding collaboratives supported by the National Fund for Workforce Solutions. SkillBuild Colorado works with private and public organizations to build a talent development system that is responsive to the workforce needs of entry-level workers and employers in industries that drive the regional and state economy. For more information contact Paula Gomez Farrell, (303) 398-7407, Paula.GomezFarrell@skillbuildcolorado.org.