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Colorado now has backup for its efforts to get more working age adults into high demand, good-paying jobs.

FutureReady States, a new Lumina Foundation initiative, has tapped Jobs for the Future to bring a mix of technical assistance and policy guidance to state agencies which have already made Colorado a leader in helping people complete degrees and industry-recognized certificates.

Governor Jared Polis welcomed the move and said there is more work to do to meet the needs of workers and employers.

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"By thoughtfully building out the short term and nondegree credential landscape, we can make sure our states deliver more opportunities that lead to real jobs, real wage gains, employment stability," Polis asserted.

Polis recently issued an executive order calling on state agencies to create a more integrated system to help people access education and training but challenges remain.

A recent Gallup survey found most Gen Z high school students and their parents know "a great deal" about earning a bachelor's degree but do not know about other career options such as certificate programs.

There are currently two jobs available in Colorado for every unemployed person but more than 90 percent of top-paying jobs require a degree or credential.

Kermit Kaleba, strategy director of employment-aligned credential programs for Lumina, said their new goal is what the nation needs to remain competitive in the global economy.

"By the year 2040, we want 75 percent of U.S. adults in the labor market to have a postsecondary degree or credential of value that leads to economic prosperity," Kaleba explained.

Colorado has the highest share of residents with education beyond high school in the nation, tied with Massachusetts but just half of high school graduates sign up for college or certificate programs.

Taylor Maag, director of workforce policy at the nonprofit Jobs for the Future, said her team can help build buy-in from leaders across the state, ensuring coordination and quality implementation.

"This work that we're going to be doing will better position both Colorado and Alabama to sustain the momentum they already have," Maag stressed. "We're also hoping it offers the field generally a replicable model to support other states to elevate the value and impact of short term credential programs."

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.