I recently had the opportunity to meet Aimar Amezcua-Sandoval, a workforce development specialist at Denver Health, during a panel discussion at Metropolitan State University Denver titled Healthcare Careers You Didn’t Know Existed. During our conversation before the event, I learned something unexpected: Years earlier when I worked at the Denver Scholarship Foundation, I had hired the college and career advisor who helped launch Aimar’s journey. It was a powerful reminder that the systems we talk about improving are ultimately built and shaped by people. The ripple effects of a highly qualified, well-prepared advisor can extend far beyond a single decision or moment in time. We often talk about education and career pathways as if they are obvious routes that learners intuitively step onto and follow. In reality, many learners experience something very different. They face big decisions without clear information about their options or what steps to take next. That’s where career advising makes such a difference. Advisors help people distill their interests, understand what’s possible, and navigate decisions with more confidence. I wanted to hear more about Aimar’s career journey, so I reached out to learn more about her path from from high school student to nurse to workforce development specialist at Denver Health. The following edited excerpt from our conversation illustrates how powerful high quality career guidance can be.
Colorado’s upcoming Statewide Longitudinal Data System now has a catchy new name — COdata , short for Colorado Data Connections — marking its evolution from a policy vision into an accessible, user-friendly tool designed to help learners and their families, as well as educators and policymakers, make informed decisions about education and career pathways. At The Attainment Network’s February State of the Data webinar, Dr. Heather MacGillivary from the Governor’s Office of Information Technology shared meaningful progress and new opportunities for stakeholder engagement as COdata moves toward the launch of its first public reports this September. Key Updates Draft Research Framework The state has developed a draft 2–3 year research framework to guide how COdata will be used and expanded. The framework: Establishes shared definitions to reduce confusion across agencies and sectors Identifies priority questions about education-to-workforce pathways Emphasizes analysis of access and outcomes for diverse groups of Coloradans Stakeholder feedback on the Research Framework is being collected through May, with finalization expected in June. Contact heather.macgillivary@state.co.us to provide feedback. Public Data Dashboard Development The public-facing COdata dashboard is actively being built and tested. The team has: Conducted focus groups with state agency data partners to refine the interface Linked the majority of participating program data sources OIT is seeking feedback on the dashboard from learners, families and policymakers. Contact Stefan@attainmentnetwork.org if you know learners and families who would like to participate. You can review the full presentation and discussion here: 👉 Slides 👉 Recording Passcode: z5Sz!6&C In addition to system updates, CEEMI’s Roger Low reminded participants that evidence-building is not a box-checking exercise — it is about improving people’s lives. With limited public resources and complex challenges, research and evaluation help determine which strategies truly move the needle. Clear distinctions between outputs, outcomes, and impacts are essential to scaling what works. Ways to Stay Engaged 📊 Join the Better Data for Better Decisions Coalition Participate in monthly working sessions to provide stakeholder feedback and help align COData insights with major state priorities and policy decisions. Contact Stefan@attainmentnetwork.org for more information about the coalition. 🎤 Attend the Career-Connected L/Earning Conference, Oct. 29–30 in Colorado Springs Learn more about how data, evidence, and cross-sector collaboration shape Colorado’s education-to-workforce system. Learn More.
March is all about leadership in action. The Attainment Network team is stepping into spaces where strategy, influence, and collaboration converge. We’re excited to elevate rural voices, strengthen employer engagement, and participate in conversations shaping education-to-workforce systems across Colorado and beyond. Here’s where you can find us this March: 🗓️ March 3–5 🔹 Accelerate ED Community Convening — Columbus, OH Michelle Camacho Liu and Rana will join education-to-workforce leaders from multiple states to explore strategies for scaling high-quality pathways, building sustainable infrastructure, and strengthening connections that expand opportunity and build economic mobility for learners. 🗓️ March 5 🔹 NOCO Talent Summit — Northern Colorado Libby will join other NOCO leaders at this summit centered on strengthening partnerships between business, education, and government, with conversations on human skills in AI and connecting education to careers. 🗓️ March 11 🔹 San Luis Valley Career Fair — San Luis Valley Ashley and Wes will support this regional event connecting high school students with local employers, training programs, and career pathways. This fair will feature careers in agriculture. 🔹 Scrivner Policy Roundtable: Rural Renaissance and Colorado’s Policy Future — Denver Michelle Payne will join this conversation highlighting insights from Colorado Project 2.0’s Rural Renaissance initiative, elevating the voices and experiences of rural communities to continue building a roadmap for inclusive and sustainable growth. 🗓️ March 11–12 🔹 SLV Partnership Leadership Meetings – San Luis Valley Rana will meet with regional partners to discuss healthcare pathways progress and explore new opportunities for growth. 🗓️ March 18 🔹 Bo e ttcher Foundation Convening: State of Leadership — Denver Rana will join statewide leaders to reflect what’s working, what’s challenging, and what it takes to accelerate progress. 🗓️ March 19 🔹 Better Data for Better Decisions Coalition Meeting – Virtual Stefan will join this open, virtual meeting focused on priority data initiatives, including updates on Colorado’s State Longitudinal Data System. 🗓️ March 31 – April 2 🔹 Axim Collaborative: Employer Engagement CoLab – Cambridge, MA Rana and partners from MSU Denver and CCD will attend this executive-level working session focused on strengthening employer engagement and shortening time-to-hire through more aligned and effective talent pipelines. We hope to see you at one of these events — or hear from you if you’re working on similar efforts. March is shaping up to be a month of meaningful dialogue and forward motion.
Centering Human Experience, Leveraging Technology Efficiencies, and Advancing Policy Enablers
We’re excited to connect with partners across Colorado — and beyond — this February, as we deepen collaboration and continue learning together to advance system-level change. From the state Capitol to Arizona to New Orleans, we can’t wait to work alongside both longtime collaborators and new partners. Here’s where you’ll find us this February: 🗓️ February 2–3 🔹 New Pathways: Arizona Convening – Phoenix, AZ Libby will attend this two-day gathering hosted by Getting Smart , focused on designing a new, unbundled learning ecosystem for Arizona. The convening will spotlight innovative models like microschools and out-of-system learning, with an emphasis on community-powered pathways. 🗓️ February 4 🔹 The Next Chapter of A Stronger Nation: From Progress to Payoff – Virtual Stefan and Katherine will join this Lumina Foundation webinar exploring national progress on postsecondary attainment. 🗓️ February 18–20 🔹 National Career Pathways Network (NCPN) Conference – New Orleans, LA Stefan and Ashley will present on The Attainment Network’s work in the San Luis Valley, where partners are creating entry points and upskilling opportunities that lead to high-value, in-demand healthcare careers. Their session will highlight early outcomes and share strategies for building durable, cross-sector talent pipelines in rural communities. 🗓️ February 20 🔹 Navigate Your Health Career Summit – MSU Denver Rana and Michelle will join students, faculty, and healthcare partners for this annual summit focused on helping high school, community college, and postsecondary learners explore careers in healthcare through storytelling, equity-centered sessions, and hands-on engagement. Rana will also serve on a panel exploring the wide variety of health careers and how students can access them. 🗓️ February 23 🔹 Postsecondary Workforce Readiness Day at the Capitol – Denver Stefan and Michelle will represent The Attainment Network at the State Capitol. Sponsored by the Homegrown Talent Coalition , the event is designed to elevate career-connected learning and policy efforts that help Colorado learners earn college credit, industry credentials, and real-world experience. 🗓️ February 25 🔹 State of the Data Convening – Virtual Join us from 1 to 2 p.m. for an update on the progress of Colorado’s Longitudinal Data System. Partners from OIT , the Better Data for Better Decisions Coalition , CEEMI , and The Attainment Network will share milestones, lessons learned, and what’s ahead. Register here We hope to see you at one of these events, or hear from you if you're working on similar efforts in your region. Let's keep the momentum going!
Join us on February 25 for The State of the Data Convening
Colorado’s Moment of Opportunity
We’ve hit the ground running in this new year, and we are so excited about the work ahead with our partners across the state. From financial literacy fairs to rural workforce strategy sessions to celebrating our shared successes, The Attainment Network team is diving into 2026 with purpose and partnership. Here’s where you can find us this January: 🗓️ January 20 🔹Jeffco Public Schools State of the District — Lakewood Rana will join Jeffco Public Schools to celebrate recent achievements and to hear an update from Superintendent Tracy Dorland on the district’s progress, priorities and vision for the future. 🔹 Opportunity Now Celebration — Governor’s Residence, Denver Rana and Stefan will attend this special event hosted by OEDIT to celebrate the continued success of the Opportunity Now Colorado grant program. Recipients will be announced of new performance-based grants to strengthen Colorado’s education-to-employment ecosystem. 🗓️ January 23 🔹 Northfield FAB Life (Financial Literacy) Fair — Denver Michelle will support ECMC’s FAB Life event at Northfield High School, where students will take part in an interactive simulation to build real-world financial literacy skills. 🗓️ January 27 🔹 Alamosa Economic Development Meeting — Alamosa Ashley will join regional leaders in the San Luis Valley for this recurring convening to align on economic development priorities and explore workforce collaboration opportunities. 🗓️ January 28 🔹 COBRT State of the State with Governor Polis — Denver Rana will attend the Colorado Business Roundtable’s State of the State gathering, featuring Governor Jared Polis and business, education, and civic leaders discussing Colorado’s economic and policy outlook. We’re excited to be back in action after a restful holiday break. If you’ll be at any of these events we’d love to connect!
We’ve been busy this month! So busy, in fact, that we’re a tiny bit late in sharing all the places and spaces our team will be visiting. As 2025 winds down, we are looking forward to learning, sharing, and connecting with partners across the state and the nation who share our commitment to education-to-career transformation. 🗓️ December 2–5 🔹 CivicLab Convening – Savannah, GA Libby joined this national gathering hosted by CivicLab, focused on strengthening civic infrastructure, collaboration, and systems change. 🗓️ December 5 🔹 Young Invincibles Policy Shark Tank – Denver Katherine and Michelle attended this exciting event to hear young leaders pitch their policy ideas across education, workforce, and health. 🔹 Prosperity and Progress Celebration – Denver Rana, Michelle, and Katherine joined partners and Prosperity Denver Fund to celebrate the impact of collective investments in student success and economic mobility and to celebrate the unveiling of their new logo and branding campaign 🗓️ December 10 🔹 Cañon City ICAP in Action Tour – Cañon City Ashley and SLV partners will tour Cañon City High School’s Innovation Center to learn from their success with ICAP implementation and career exploration programming. 🔹 Release of Talent Development Recommendations – Denver Rana will join other state, education and workforce leaders for the release of the state agency recommendations required by Governor Polis’ Executive Order to reimagine Colorado’s talent development systems. 🗓️ December 11 🔹 Emily Griffith Foundation Holiday Party – Denver Rana is joining partners and friends for this annual celebration of Emily Griffith Foundation’s work and impact. 🗓️ December 16 🔹 Talent Pipeline Report Release – Virtual We’re all tuning into as the Colorado Workforce Development council releases the 2025 Colorado Talent Pipeline Report . We’re excited to see the data on workforce supply and demand, hear about the most in-demand occupations, and explore policy recommendations to strengthen Colorado’s talent ecosystem. 🔹 Introduction to Workforce Pell Webinar – Virtual Michelle will attend this national webinar exploring the rollout of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and expanded Pell Grant access for short-term workforce programs. 🗓️ December 24 - January 2 Our team will be slowing down over the holidays, reflecting on a year of growth, learning, and collaboration – and refueling for a new year full of partnership and progress.
This has been a difficult year for Colorado’s educators and system leaders, who have carried the weight of economic uncertainty, public pressure, and shifting demands on both K-12 and higher education. Their challenges prompted us to pause and consider what it truly means to serve as an intermediary and a supportive partner. We found ourselves acting with intention to clarify where we can add the most value and ensure that our work meets the moment At the same time, 2025 has been one of transition and transformation for The Attainment Network. A leadership transition, the launch of new learning opportunities for our partners, and the addition of new areas of consulting engagements have required much from our team and reaffirmed our commitment to equitable career-connected learning opportunities in Colorado. Through it all I’ve been reminded how systems change happens – not in giant leaps, but in the steady steps of people with a shared purpose. Stepping into the role of CEO last April was both centering and energizing. Over the course of my career, I’ve focused on helping learners and earners succeed – creating opportunities, removing barriers, and supporting growth – and taking on this leadership role at this moment underscored the importance of our work and the commitment it requires. The stakes feel higher, the opportunities more profound, and what gives me the greatest optimism isn’t just what we accomplished this year, but how we showed up: with authenticity, humility, and a solution-oriented mindset; by supporting each other to meet a high bar of excellence; and by staying centered on the learners and earners who rely on us. I’m deeply grateful to lead alongside a team and partners who approach this work with care, clarity, and unwavering commitment, especially at a time when it matters so much. One of the most tangible demonstrations of this commitment was the launch of our professional learning series. What began as a simple question – How can we continue to support and foster our community of professionals who are dedicated to reshaping education-to-workforce systems? – evolved into a statewide learning series for more than a thousand people. Our Professional Learning Series became a space where partners could share promising practices as well as wrestle with challenges. And our annual Learner Voice Symposium lifted up the perspectives of learners and earners as we think about the career advising systems we’ll need to realize the promise of our state’s Big Three priorities around postsecondary credit, industry-recognized credentials, and work-based learning. Our events affirmed what we’ve long believed: when people have a strong community of professional support, systems get stronger. This spirit of focus and alignment also led us to elevate career advising as a priority area. Colorado has made significant investments in career-connected learning and workforce development – from CTE and concurrent enrollment to industry-recognized credentials, work-based learning, skills-based hiring, career-connected campuses, apprenticeships, and the substantial Opportunity Now grants. Yet our 2025 Colorado Career Advising Report shows that learners still face a fragmented advising landscape. By focusing more deeply on career advising, we are addressing the connective tissue of the system – the personalized, holistic guidance that helps learners make sense of their experiences, purpose, and possibilities – and ensuring Colorado’s investments translate into clear, attainable pathways for every learner and earner. And this year, we saw what’s possible when communities rally around a shared vision. In the San Luis Valley, we celebrated one year of partnership and reached major milestones in workforce development – including expanding pathways to high-value, in-demand healthcare careers at 11 high schools in the Valley. This partnership showed what local leaders can accomplish when supported by an intermediary focused on aligning systems, building capacity, and maintaining momentum towards outcomes. This year also marked the continued evolution of our consulting work, as new and existing partners turned to The Attainment Network for strategic guidance and implementation support. We partnered with Apprenticeship Colorado to host a statewide webinar that helped employers and practitioners better understand the underpinnings of effective apprenticeships. We stepped into new terrain with Elevate Quantum, being selected to develop a strategic communications plan for an emerging career pathways that can feel intimidating – even mysterious – but which holds extraordinary promise for Colorado’s economic future. And with Colorado Workforce Development Council, we gathered stakeholder feedback to inform the state’s interests in developing a system for learning and employment records (LERs) that would make comprehensive, portable, digital records of learners’ skills, achievements, and education that they can easily access and control. ……. Across all of this work, one theme kept resurfacing: Colorado’s future will be built through intentional partnership. When community and industry leaders, educators, funders, and policymakers – with the support of intermediaries – work in partnership, something powerful happens. The barriers start falling away as we take steady steps together to build an education-to-workforce system that supports learners and earners and meets critical workforce needs. To everyone who partnered with us this year – thank you. Your dedication, your curiosity, and your belief in what’s possible are what strengthens our communities. Here’s to our momentum-building partnership in 2025 – and the future we’re creating together. — Rana Tarkenton, CEO The Attainment Network
Ask anyone on the street what they know about the nascent quantum industry, and after the initial blank stare, they’re likely to mention the Quantum Realm from The Avengers . But the coming quantum revolution isn’t fiction. It’s real, and it’s poised to power next-generation quantum computers, sensors, and secure communication systems that will transform industries across Colorado and the world. Colorado Governor Jared Polis has made quantum technology a top statewide priority, calling it a once-in-a-generation opportunity to position Colorado as a national hub for innovation and high-value careers. Leaders in Arizona and New Mexico are also on the leading edge of this emerging industry. Through the Elevate Quantum Tech Hub , education, industry, and government partners across the region are working together to define and build the talent pipeline needed to fuel this fast-growing field. To support the effort, they selected The Attainment Network to provide guidance on engaging and communicating with key stakeholders in the K-12, postsecondary, and workforce sectors. The first assignment? Craft a messaging strategy that demystifies quantum , explaining it in simple terms that don’t require a Ph.D. in physics to understand. Easy, right?
Beyond Data: Using Evidence for Informed Decision Making
The Attainment Network is excited to announce two new opportunities to join our team! We’re hiring two Program Coordinators to support our work advancing equitable education-to-career systems across Colorado - including one position dedicated to serving the Southern Colorado / San Luis Valley region. Our Program Coordinators play a key role in connecting partners, supporting professional learning events, and ensuring smooth implementation across multiple statewide initiatives. These positions offer a chance to work collaboratively with educators, employers, and community partners who are driving meaningful systems change. If you’re an organized, mission-driven professional who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment — we’d love to hear from you! 📄 Learn more and apply Join us in shaping the future of education and workforce development in Colorado!
This November, The Attainment Network team is showing up in spaces that reflect our mission as we seek to strengthen connections and amplify our mission to evolve school-to-career systems across Colorado and beyond. Whether it’s supporting rural partners in the San Luis Valley, engaging with students and employers at a career fair, or presenting on systems transformation at a national convening, we’re excited to keep learning and leading alongside our partners and collaborators. Here’s where you can find us this November: 🗓️ November 3–5 🔹 Purpose Jam – Denver Katherine and Michelle will attend this multi-day gathering hosted by The Purpose Commons, bringing together young people, educators, funders, and researchers around one big idea: that every young person deserves a life filled with purpose and possibility. 🗓️ November 4 🔹 MSU Denver 60th Anniversary Presidential Luncheon – Denver Rana will join University leaders, alumni, faculty, and friends to celebrate six decades of innovation and inclusion at MSU Denver and its enduring impact on higher education in Colorado. 🗓️ November 10 🔹 SLV All-Partner Meeting – Alamosa Ashley will connect with regional leaders to share updates and coordinate efforts across education, workforce, and healthcare initiatives in the San Luis Valley. 🗓️ November 12 🔹 SLV Career Fair – Alamosa Ashley is working with our partners in the Valley to connect high school and college learners with local employers, training providers, and work-based learning opportunities in high-demand fields. 🔹 CDE Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) Regional Training – Denver Michelle will attend this training to support districts and schools in navigating recent PWR updates resulting from the 2025 legislative session – including new funding, changes to school and district accountability, and tools aligned with “The Big Three.” 🔹 Colorado CTE Data Summit – Denver Stefan will join CTE leaders and data professionals for two days of insights, skill-building, and updates on statewide data initiatives, including the Colorado Longitudinal Data System. 🔹 ECMC Foundation Rural Impact Initiative Reception – Denver Stefan and Rana will attend this reception at the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Annual Conference . The event will bring together leaders, researchers, and practitioners committed to strengthening postsecondary access and success in rural communities. 🗓️ November 17–19 🔹 Next: The 2025 Complete College America Annual Convening – Baltimore Katherine and Michelle will present on how to use design thinking and cross-sector collaboration protocols to drive consensus and action in career-connected learning systems. They’ll join leaders from across the country to share strategies that position higher education as a force for transformation. We hope to see you at one of these events or hear from you if you're working on similar efforts. As always, we’re eager to connect, collaborate, and amplify what’s working.
Highlights from the 2025 Learner Voice Symposium