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Colorado: Celebrating Job Growth: Governor Polis and OEDIT Announce Opportunity Now Performance Awards and Innovation Awards

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Awards celebrate workforce training models placing Coloradans into new jobs and businesses creating new jobs in advanced industries

DENVER — Today, at the Governor's Mansion, Governor Polis and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) presented 12 Opportunity Now Performance Awards for achievements in workforce development, placing Coloradans into new jobs and establishing innovative training models that can be replicated across the state. At the event, Governor Polis also announced three OEDIT Innovation Awards honoring businesses for their commitment to creating and retaining jobs in Colorado's advanced industries.

"In Colorado we know that by investing in our workforce we can train people for success and fill the in-demand jobs of tomorrow in key and growing industries like  quantum, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. The awardees recognized today demonstrate how industry and education can work together to train local talent, create good-paying jobs, and keep Colorado competitive on a global scale," said Governor Polis.

The Opportunity Now Performance Awards recognized the achievements of 12 grantees supported by the Opportunity Now Colorado grant program, which awarded 116 grants totaling $92 million to prepare Coloradans for good-paying jobs and meet the workforce needs of Colorado's top industries. Top sectors served included healthcare, education and infrastructure, and construction, while also supporting Colorado's growing leadership in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, clean tech, quantum, and semiconductors. Collectively, the 96 grant recipients exceeded projections by placing 20,000 Coloradans into great jobs to date.

The OEDIT Innovation Awards recognized businesses for innovation in creating and retaining jobs in advanced manufacturing, quantum and semiconductors, all growing sectors that drive Colorado's economy and job creation across the state.

"Colorado has doubled down on workforce development by investing in innovative training and business development models that modernize how industry and education work together to train Coloradans for in-demand jobs. The awardees recognized today have a proven track record of placing Coloradans into new, good-paying jobs and filling openings in high-priority industries. We are thrilled to celebrate their achievements and the incredible progress our state has made in workforce training," said Eve Lieberman, OEDIT Executive Director.

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Opportunity Now Performance Awards:
  • AdvanceEDU leads the Innovative Pathways Alliance, a coalition of more than 30 Colorado employers, nonprofits, education organizations and foundations. Its Career Pathway Accelerator with the Community College of Aurora in behavioral health pairs online degrees with earn-and-learn roles as partner employers.
  • African-American Trade Association (AATA) places young people ages 15 to 24, veterans and people returning from incarceration in paid apprenticeships and training in construction and health care, backed by mentorship from professionals.
  • The Attainment Network convenes a San Luis Valley coalition of healthcare providers, two colleges, 14 school districts and community organizations to build a pathway from high school into healthcare careers, with upskilling for workers already on the job.
  • Colorado Mountain College is preparing behavioral health workers for rural central and western Colorado through a human services pathway offered across its 11 campuses. Students earn addiction counseling credentials and complete paid internships with local employers.
  • Colorado Mesa University Tech (CMU Tech) expanded health and dental training across rural western Colorado through a mobile training which brings medical assistant, nurse aide and EMT/paramedic training to the Western Slope.
  • Emergent Campus is a rural technology center in Fremont County, which has recruited technology companies and startups to rural Colorado and trains and places local residents into jobs in the tech sector.
  • The Master's Apprentice runs a tuition-free, six-week construction pre-apprenticeship in Denver and rural Colorado for adults facing barriers to employment, many of whom advance to registered apprenticeships.
  • Northeast Colorado BOCES is building career pathways in health care, education, technology and the trades across 12 rural school districts on the Eastern Plains.
  • NSF ASCEND Engine through Innosphere Ventures is addressing a regional shortage of systems engineers by offering internships for high school graduates and community college students, and apprenticeships for workers moving into systems engineering.
  • Public Education & Business Coalition (PEBC) is addressing rural teacher shortages through its Rural Residence Collective, a partnership across six rural school districts.
  • SparkFun Electronics and the Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) lead ElevateAI, which works to support school districts across Colorado to build artificial intelligence into STEM career pathways and use AI in their classrooms.
  • St. Vrain Valley School District, alongside school district and nonprofit partners, has built no-cost career pathways in education, advanced manufacturing, and information technology through a registered teacher apprenticeship and paid-work based learning experiences.

OEDIT Innovation Awards:
  • Manufacturing: CoorsTek and Red Rocks Community College have led a collaborative of more than 20 manufacturers to build a training center to support more than 1,000 people annually trained across manufacturer's, such as Pepsi Co., Emerson, and Lockheed in addition to Coorstek.
  • Quantum: Elevate Quantum and Front Range Community College have built a world-class optics program focused on using lasers in quantum technology. These critical technician skills are essential in building Colorado's unparalleled quantum industry.
  • Semiconductors: Microchip Technology, Entegris, InnovaFlex and Pikes Peak State College, which partner on a certification program that prepares entry-level production staff for equipment technician roles in the semiconductor/microchip industry.

About the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

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The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works to empower all to thrive in Colorado's economy. Under the leadership of the Governor and in collaboration with economic development partners across the state, we foster a thriving business environment through funding and financial programs, training, consulting and informational resources across industries and regions. We promote economic growth and long-term job creation by recruiting, retaining, and expanding Colorado businesses and providing programs that support entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes at every stage of growth. Our goal is to protect what makes our state a great place to live, work, start a business, raise a family, visit and retire—and make it accessible to everyone. Learn more about OEDIT.

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