Governor Polis raises bar for Colorado agencies on education
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Colorado, already considered a national leader in workforce development, is aiming to raise the bar even higher.
Governor Jared Polis recently issued an executive order calling on state agencies to create a more integrated system which meets learners where they are so they can access the education and training they need to get good jobs in Colorado's evolving economy.
Angie Paccione, executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education, said the challenge is to restructure siloed agencies and initiatives and design a system to work even better.
"Bring together the best of what each individual division and department is doing," Paccione recommended. "Bring it together in a way that's going to make it easier for individuals to navigate and also ultimately get the skills and training that they need for the jobs that they want."
Colorado ranks first nationally, tied with Massachusetts, for its percentage of residents who have a credential or degree beyond high school but there is room for improvement. There are currently two available jobs for every unemployed person in the state. More than 90 percent of top-paying jobs require some form of postsecondary education but just half of graduating seniors are signing up for college or certificate programs, well below the national average of 61 percent.
Paccione stressed the new order aims to find out what's keeping high school graduates from taking the next step and then eliminate barriers so all Colorado students have a clear pathway toward a sustainable wage. She added it is not just about creating worker bees.
"We're all going to work 40 to 45 years," Paccione emphasized. "We want to make sure that students are getting the education and training they need for the jobs of the future and the jobs that will inspire them and fulfill them as well."
The executive order called for the Colorado Departments of Labor and Employment, Higher Education, and Regulatory Agencies, working with the Office of Economic Development and International Trade and key staff in the governor's office to submit a comprehensive plan by December 1.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
