Governor Polis Launches Survey to Align Colorado's Workforce Education with Job Market Demands

Governor Jared Polis has launched a statewide survey seeking input from Colorado residents on post-high school education, training and career experiences, with responses due November 7.

The survey aims to gather information on which resources helped Coloradans build skills and find employment, what additional resources would be most helpful, and their expectations for the state's talent development system. The feedback will inform state recommendations to improve alignment between education programs and skills required for higher-paying jobs.

The initiative is open to all Coloradans and asks participants to share experiences with degree programs, apprenticeships, certificate programs and other career pathways.

Addressing Regional Skills Gaps

The survey addresses documented misalignments between workforce education and employer needs in Northern Colorado. According to the Talent 2.0 Regional Workforce Strategy developed for Larimer and Weld counties, the Fort Collins-Loveland area added approximately 20,000 jobs between 2011 and 2016 but gained only 11,000 local workers, highlighting persistent talent shortages.

Regional employers have reported difficulty finding workers with specific technical skills in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, construction trades and information technology. Workforce strategy documents indicate that many educational programs were not producing graduates with competencies precisely matching job requirements.

The Greeley accelerator program recently selected five startups focused on agriculture and energy innovation, reflecting the region's ongoing efforts to align education and economic development initiatives with established industrial strengths.

Current Education Pathways and Outcomes

Northern Colorado residents currently access post-high school education through Front Range Community College's Larimer campus, Aims Community College in Weld County, Colorado State University and University of Northern Colorado. Both community colleges and local workforce centers partner with industry to offer certificate programs, licensure training and registered apprenticeships in healthcare, information technology, advanced manufacturing, construction trades, logistics and energy sectors.

Recent Department of Higher Education data shows Front Range Community College maintains approximately a 35 percent three-year associate degree graduation rate for first-time, full-time students. Aims Community College reports similar completion rates with slightly higher certificate attainment due to its emphasis on trades and technical programs.

Registered apprenticeships in the region show 60 to 75 percent completion rates from 2018 to 2023, with more than 85 percent job placement rates among completers in key sectors including healthcare and manufacturing, according to Colorado Department of Labor and Employment data.

State Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act performance reports from 2022 indicate that 69 to 75 percent of Northern Colorado WIOA training program completers found employment in career-aligned fields within one year of program completion, matching or slightly exceeding the state average.

Policy Timeline and Framework

Colorado's workforce development strategy operates under federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act requirements and state statutes that mandate routine data collection, performance reporting and employer engagement in local planning. The Colorado Workforce Development Council follows an annual planning cycle, with survey and evaluation data typically synthesized each winter and spring.

According to state reporting requirements, specific recommendations for program improvements and policy changes are generally issued by the following summer. Regional workforce boards in Larimer and Weld counties can often implement programmatic changes within months of survey completion, while major legislative or funding changes typically appear in the next state fiscal year's plan.

Previous workforce surveys and sector initiatives have led to policy changes including development of employer-advised curricula in community colleges, increased funding for short-term credentialing programs, and adoption of flexible co-enrollment policies allowing job seekers to participate in multiple workforce-funded programs simultaneously.

Greeley has also expanded workforce development infrastructure, recently hosting a free employee ownership workshop for local businesses interested in transitioning to employee-owned business models as part of broader economic development strategies.

The survey remains open through November 7. Participation information is available through the Larimer County government website.