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DENVER — The Colorado Chamber of Commerce today launched the Education to Employment Alliance in partnership with business groups representing more than 2,000 employers across the state. The alliance seeks to improve the talent development pipeline and engage with state leaders to bring about needed reforms.
In addition to the Colorado Chamber, members of the alliance include Colorado Inclusive Economy, Colorado Succeeds, the Colorado Technology Association, and Colorado Thrives. Together, this coalition will identify and define workforce gaps going unaddressed across Colorado, offer solutions to address these gaps effectively, and monitor progress towards the implementation of these solutions.
“Workforce challenges have consistently ranked among the top two issues for Colorado employers in our business surveys,” said Colorado Chamber President and CEO Loren Furman. “We want our workforce to be among the top in the nation, equipped with the skills needed to take on the jobs of the future. This new alliance is an important step to addressing our skills gaps and improving the talent pipeline to create opportunities for Coloradans.”
“The alliance will play an important role in supporting our vision of ensuring every Colorado learner is educated to their greatest potential and every Colorado business has the homegrown talent to thrive,” said Colorado Succeeds President Scott Laband. “We are eager to partner with the business community, learning providers, and government entities toward the alliance’s recommendations.”
A new report released by the alliance highlights the critical workforce challenges faced by Colorado employers, from skills gaps and mismatches to the role of higher education in preparing students. The report outlines five key recommendations to address these challenges:
- Measure outcomes and direct funding to education and training programs that help graduates achieve sustainable careers.
- Create regional talent development goals and action plans overseen by a workforce intermediary.
- Realign the pathways offered in schools with the needs of employers.
- Streamline and incentivize employer participation in career-connected learning opportunities.
- Ensure education providers are focusing on the skills that students and employers need.
The report also identifies potential policy solutions for each recommendation to implement change and bolster the state’s workforce. View the full report from the Education to Employment Alliance here.
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About the Education to Employment Alliance
The Education to Employment Alliance is a coalition of business leaders invested in improving outcomes for Colorado learners and shaping the future of Colorado’s workforce. The Alliance represents thousands of companies from diverse sectors, geographies, and sizes, and convene a network of chambers of commerce, industry associations, and economic development roundtables to reach all 64 counties in Colorado. We envision a talent development system that is learner-centered and responsive to the changing dynamics of our economy, businesses, and communities. Our principals include the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Inclusive Economy, Colorado Succeeds, Colorado Technology Association, and Colorado Thrives.
The Colorado Chamber of Commerce champions free enterprise, a healthy business environment and economic prosperity for all Coloradans. It is the only business association that works to improve the business climate for all sizes of business from a statewide, multi-industry perspective. What the Colorado Chamber accomplishes is good for all businesses, and that’s good for the state’s economy. It was created in 1965 based on the merger with the Colorado Manufacturers’ Association.