Celebrating Impact: 2024 Learner Voice Grants Engage Over 900 Learners Across Colorado

April 7, 2025

Small Grants, Big Impact

The Attainment Network is proud of the outcomes of our latest round of Learner Voice Grants, which continue to amplify the perspectives of learners and earners in Colorado’s education-to-workforce systems. 

 

2024 Grants by the Numbers 

  • $25,000 awarded 
  • 10 partners selected from across the state 
  • 900+ learners and earners engaged through storytelling, surveys, events, and focus groups 


Small Grants, Big Impact 

Each Learner Voice mini-grant – just $2,500 – supports powerful, locally driven efforts to center learner and earner perspectives in education-to-workforce systems. These small but strategic investments fuel storytelling projects, community conversations, surveys, and other activities that surface real-world insights directly from those navigating career pathways. 


Since the program’s inception in 2022, more than 1,700 learners and earners have been engaged – helping shape more responsive, inclusive policies and practices across Colorado. 


Why It Matters 

When learners are invited to reflect, share, and lead, systems become more responsive, fair, and effective. These projects don’t just highlight barriers – they help identify solutions from those with lived experience. 

 

What’s Next 

Our partners will use their findings to improve programs and processes, ensuring their work expands opportunities for learners and strengthens their communities.  

 

Learn more about our efforts to amplify learner and earner voices.  

 


RECENT ARTICLES

October 28, 2025
Highlights from the 2025 Learner Voice Symposium
October 27, 2025
Reanna Werner, Co-Founder of Savvion HQ in Colorado Springs, brings a unique blend of experience across human resources, workforce development, and small business leadership to her role on The Attainment Network Board. Reanna is deeply committed to building resilient talent pathways that support both learner success and business growth. In this Board Spotlight , she shares the motivation behind her involvement, a piece of advice that still shapes her leadership, and why aligning education and workforce systems is critical to Colorado’s economic future. Q: What inspired you to get involved with The Attainment Network, and why is expanding education and career opportunities for learners and earners so important to you? I joined The Attainment Network because I believe education and workforce development are the engines of economic vitality. Ensuring we have a skilled workforce not only opens doors for learners and earners, it strengthens businesses and communities alike. My background in HR, apprenticeships, and workforce partnerships has shown me that when people are equipped with skills and pathways to grow, entire regions thrive. Q: How have your personal or professional experiences shaped your understanding of the shifts needed in our education-to-workforce systems to better support learners and meet industry needs? My career has given me a 360-degree view of the education-to-workforce pipeline. From leading corporate HR to running my own business, to advising small businesses, and working directly within workforce systems, I’ve been able to see both sides of the equation—what employers truly need and what learners are prepared to bring. That perspective has shown me the importance of aligning education with the rapidly changing demands of industry, especially as technology, skills, and business models evolve. I’ve also seen how critical it is to support learners with not only technical skills, but also pathways, mentorship, and access to real-world experiences like apprenticeships. Meeting industry needs isn’t just about filling jobs—it’s about building adaptable, resilient talent pipelines that benefit both employers and communities. Q: What’s a piece of career advice you’ve received that still sticks with you, and who offered you that advice? A piece of advice that has always stayed with me came from my former boss and mentor, who told me to “always sit in the front row.” It’s simple but powerful—by sitting up front, you stay more engaged, retain more, and position yourself to be noticed. Over time, I’ve seen how true this is, not just in classrooms or meetings, but in every professional setting. Those who lean in, take the front row, and fully engage often find more opportunities for growth and advancement. Q: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of The Attainment Network and its impact on learners, earners, and entire communities across the state? What excites me most about the future of The Attainment Network is its ability to directly strengthen Colorado’s economic vitality. By aligning education and workforce systems, we can ensure employers have access to the skilled talent they need to innovate and grow. That not only fuels business competitiveness but also creates more resilient career pathways for learners and earners. The result is a stronger, more adaptable workforce that drives prosperity for entire communities across the state. Q: What book is on your bedside table? Would you recommend it? Why or why not? It’s hard for me to pick just one book—I usually have four to six going at a time. Right now, I’m reading $100M Leads by Alex Hormozi as part of an office book club, A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger, and re-reading Traction by Gino Wickman. Each one challenges me to think differently about growth, leadership, and problem-solving. And alongside those, I always keep my Bible close as a source of grounding and perspective.  I’d recommend all of them for different reasons: Hormozi for entrepreneurial strategy, Berger for cultivating curiosity, Wickman for business discipline, and the Bible for timeless wisdom and reflection.
By Rana Tarkenton October 23, 2025
Catalysts for Connection: The Critical Role of Intermediaries in Education-to-Career Pathways