NEWS & UPDATES

Andrea Stiles Pullas on Building a More Connected Ecosystem

The Attainment Network was founded on a simple belief: partnership drives progress . Even so, we are amazed by what the San Luis Valley Career-Connected Partnership has accomplished in just one year. Last week we gathered in Alamosa at Trinidad State College – Valley Campus with all of our partners to celebrate our accomplishments over the last year. Our colleagues from Adams State University, Trinidad State College, San Luis Valley Health, Valley Wide Health Systems, Boys & Girls Club, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and many others heard firsthand from learners and earners whose education and career journeys are being transformed through this collaboration. Meet a few of those learners and earners: Sunny Garcia – mother of a five-week-old infant – received support for books and nursing supplies while attending Adams State University to obtain her bachelor of science degree in nursing. She now works as a registered nurse at San Luis Valley Health and plans to start a doctorate program in nursing this fall. Nicole Peyer faced a major setback when her car broke down during her first semester in the nursing program at Adams State University. With help from partners, she secured reliable transportation to continue school and work. Today, she holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and is working as a registered nurse in the Medical/Surgical unit at San Luis Valley Health. Ronny Herrera , a father of two, received resources and support from partners while completing a master’s degree in clinical mental health. He plans to serve the youth in the Valley as a mental health counselor. These stories are powerful, but they represent just a fraction of what this partnership has achieved. In its first year, the collaboration has: Expanded CNA and Medical Assistant training programs into 13 of the 14 school districts in the valley , with 9 of those offering full, standalone programs. Empowered more than 24 students with hands-on experience through internships, training in the mobile lab, and other work-based learning programs. Equipped 73 learners with an industry-recognized credential Supported 15 adult learners in advancing their education – 6 of whom have already graduated from their programs. And the momentum continues! A mobile lab donated by SLV Health will travel the Valley this fall, giving students insight into careers in healthcare and other high-value careers as well as providing CNA and MA students with access to a clinic for hands-on training. And thanks to virtual reality headsets from Transfr – donated by the LOR Foundation and the Colorado Department of Housing and Finance – students across the valley can explore healthcare and other in-demand careers right in their own classrooms. What the San Luis Valley Career-Connected Partnership has accomplished is the future of rural workforce development. This framework for cross-sector collaboration can be used to meet critical workforce needs across rural Colorado – and that’s exactly what you’ll see in the future.

Dr. Sarah Heath on elevating learner voice and expanding early access to careers

We’re energized by the growing momentum across Colorado to create meaningful opportunities for learners and earners to step into high-value, in-demand careers. The Attainment Network team will be on the move this month – connecting with partners across the state, celebrating the progress we’re making together, and enjoying the mountains and the wildflowers during this beautiful season. 🗓️ Tuesday, July 15 🔹 SLV All Partners Meeting – San Luis Valley 🎉 The Attainment Network Team is celebrating one year of partnership in the San Luis Valley with a panel of learners and earners sharing their experiences. Join us and check out the virtual reality headsets that are bringing career exploration activities to rural students and the mobile health clinic we’re using for CNA and MA training! 🔹 Tech Talent Partnership – Education Task Force – Denver 💡 Exploring collaborative strategies to grow Colorado’s tech talent pipeline. 🗓️ July 21–23 🔹 Badge Summit – CU Boulder Stefan is participating in this national convening on the future of digital credentials in K–12, higher ed, industry, and more. 🗓️ Tuesday, July 29 🔹 Behavioral Health Sector Partnership Action Group Meeting – Online Michelle is excited to collaborate on solutions to strengthen behavioral health career pathways across Colorado. 

The Attainment Network is proud to be a trusted partner in expanding access to high-quality apprenticeships across Colorado. Last week, we were thrilled to facilitate Apprenticeship Colorado’s webinar to help employers and apprenticeship sponsors from across the state design and strengthen programs that connect learners and earners with high-value, in-demand careers. With 75 employers and apprenticeship sponsors attending, the event showcased the energy and commitment around creating effective and inclusive pathways from education to employment. We want to send a special thank you to Apprenticeship Colorado for hosting the webinar as well as our partners at Emily Griffith Technical College, and Greiner Electric for sharing tools, insights, and real-world experience to expand access to apprenticeships statewide. Couldn’t make it? Check out the slide deck , or view a recording of the entire webinar . Key Resources Shared To support new and growing programs, we explored tools and resources developed by The Attainment Network and EGTC to support continuous improvement in apprenticeship programs: Starter Questionnaire – assess your readiness and clarify your goals Resource Guide – curated supports for programs and partners Need support? The Attainment Network is available to provide you with additional support and guidance for creating strategic, effective apprenticeship programs that build your future-ready talent pipeline. Contact Libby Klingsmith, Pathways Director at Libby@attainmentnetwork.org . Additional Information Check out more resources from Apprenticeship Colorado: Apprenticeship Colorado Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship Colorado Apprenticeship Data Registered Apprenticeship Program Directory Upcoming events Keep learning through upcoming events on apprenticeships and other critical topics for our evolving education-to-workforce ecosystem. Apprenticeship Colorado Events: RAP 101 – 1st & 3rd Tuesdays | Next: July 1 at 3 p.m. Apprenticeship Monthly Exchange – 2nd Tuesdays | Next: July 8 at 1 p.m. Monthly Expansion Call – Last Mondays | Next: July 28 at 9 a.m. 👉 Learn more ®gister 👉 Subscribe to Apprenticeship Colorado’s newsletter s The Attainment Network’s free, online Professional Learning Series: State of Data: Statewide Longitudinal Data System Updates – Aug 27, 10–11 a.m. San Luis Valley Partnership: A Case Study in Employer Engagement – Sept 25, noon to 1 p.m. 2025 L/Earner Voice Symposium – Oct 2, 9–11 a.m. 👉 Register here Contact Information Collaboration between employers, apprenticeship sponsors and education is the key to building high-quality programs that are accessible to everyone. Our presenters invite you to contact them for support or guidance: Bryn Nelson , Access Team Manager, Apprenticeship Colorado bryn.nelson@state.co.us Londell Jackson , Talent Development Strategist, Apprenticeship Colorado londell.jackson@state.co.us Kevin Riebau , Dean of Apprenticeship, EGTC kevin.riebau@emilygriffith.edu Bill Bicket , Training Apprenticeship Manager, Greiner Electric bbicket@greinerelectric.com Daesha Ottem , Project Engineer, Greiner Electric dottem@greinerelectric.com

Kim Poast on Leadership, Learner Voice, and What’s Next

Designing High-Quality Apprenticeships: An Employer Playbook

The Attainment Network is proud to welcome CareerWise as a collaborating sponsor of our 2025 L/Earner Voice Symposium on Oct 2, 2025 – a free virtual event elevating learner and earner perspectives to inform the design of inclusive, future-ready career pathways. CareerWise's Commitment to Learner-Centered Apprenticeship Design CareerWise Colorado is a national leader in building modern youth and adult apprenticeship models that align with workforce needs while supporting diverse learners. We’re grateful for their leadership and partnership over the years, and especially thankful for their support of this year’s L/Earner Voice Symposium! Featured Session: Teacher Degree Apprenticeship Program CareerWise will lead a breakout session featuring learner and earner experiences with their Teacher Degree Apprenticeship -- an innovative pathway that: Prepares future educators through hands-on, paid teaching experience Combines classroom learning with job-embedded mentorship Addresses Colorado’s teacher workforce gap , especially in rural districts Expands access to teaching careers for learners from underrepresented backgrounds Register for this free, virtual event today! Mark your calendar today and plan to join us in the fall for this free, virtual event where learners and earners share insights into how they navigate career exploration, postsecondary transitions, and job preparation in today’s evolving economy. When: Oct. 2 from 9 to 11 a.m. Where: Virtual event Cost: Free Register Today

As we head into summer, The Attainment Network team looks forward to connecting with you. We’re excited to participate in a wide range of events focused on data access, economic development, adult education, and other topics that are critical to our mission of building inclusive and effective education-to-workforce systems. Let us know if you’re planning to join us! Wednesday, June 3 – Eggs and the Economy: Bills, Budgets & Breakfast, Greenwood Village Rana is attending the Common Sense Institute’s legislative Recap. Thursday, June 5, 2025 – Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator Demo Day, Denver Michelle is looking forward to learning about innovative approaches to workforce development. Tuesday, June 10 – Alamosa Economic Development Meeting, Alamosa Ashley looks forward to engaging with regional leaders focused on talent development and economic growth. Monday, June 16 – Kathleen deLaski book signing, Downtown Denver Rana is attending the book signing for Who Needs College Anymore? Imagining a Future Where Degrees Won’t Matter’ hosted by the Donnell-Kay Foundation, Colorado Succeeds, and Willow Education Tuesday, June 17 – San Luis Valley Work Based Learning Coalition, Alamosa Ashley looks forward to continuing the work with local employers to support student internships and career exposure activities. Friday, June 20 – Homegrown Talent Coalition Meeting Rana, Michelle, and Stefan will gather with a network of education and workforce partners working to align strategies for career-connected learning across Colorado. Friday, June 20 – OEDIT’s Colorado for All: Business Showcase & Resource Fair, Denver’s Five Points Neighborhood Rana is excited to celebrate Colorado’s small business community.

The Attainment Network was honored to serve as one of the hosts for last week’s Opportunity Now Regional Talent Summit held in Durango, alongside the La Plata Economic Development Alliance and Fort Lewis College. The Summit brought together employers, educators, and community organizations from across Southwest Colorado and the San Luis Valley to discuss talent shortages – especially in healthcare, technology, and agriculture – and align around plans to build qualified local talent pipelines. As this recent article highlights, these conversations were part of a statewide series convened by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade through the Opportunity Now program. The summits are designed to foster collaboration needed to build education-to-workforce systems that provide inclusive opportunities for learners and earners while meeting critical local workforce needs – which is exactly what The Attainment Network excels at. In fact, our partnership in the San Luis Valley is making incredible progress toward our goals: We are 76% of the way toward our goal to train 70 new Certified Nurse Assistants We’re 50% complete with our goal to train 60 new Medical Assistants. We aim to place 78 learners in paid healthcare internships, and we’re 31% of the way there. We are also committed to supporting 50 current healthcare employs as they acquire additional education to advance in their careers, and we’re 30% of the way toward this upskilling goal.  👏 A big thank you to the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, Innovate Work Consulting, and our fellow hosts at La Plata Economic Development Alliance and Fort Lewis College for helping to lead this effort. Read more about the Summit here .

The Attainment Network team gathered last week to celebrate and thank Therese Ivancovich for her extraordinary leadership over the past nine years. It was a meaningful moment for our team — a chance to express our deep gratitude and share some laughs with an incredible leader who will be greatly missed. During her tenure, Therese grew The Attainment Network from a one-person operation into a respected and trusted organization with a proven track record of creating meaningful, lasting change across Colorado. Her dedication, expertise, and seemingly limitless energy helped shape how communities are preparing learners for today’s high-value, in-demand careers . As Therese steps down, she leaves behind a thriving organization, a powerful network of collaborators, and a lasting legacy of innovation, partnership, and hope for the future. We are deeply grateful for Therese’s leadership — and we are energized to carry forward the vision and momentum she helped build.

The Attainment Network team was energized by the collaborative spirit at last week’s Talent Summit and Sector Academy hosted by the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce, where Northern Colorado leaders came together to align efforts around workforce needs. Accelerating Progress through Collaborative Action We were honored to support the event and strengthen Northern Colorado’s sector partnerships by leading interactive strategy sessions for the Finance and Non-Profit Sector Partnerships . We brought our unique brand of facilitation to the table, using clear protocols and proven tools to help partners prioritize, align, and turn ideas into tangible strategies. We were also proud to support the Hospitality Sector Partnership alongside Bobbie Wolfe of the Colorado Workforce Development Council , helping deepen the connection between workforce needs and community resources. Data-Driven Insights A highlight of the Summit was the presentation from TIPS Strategies , which introduced an updated Talent Supply and Demand Analysis and Labor Market Profile for Larimer and Weld Counties. This work, part of the Workforce Data and Talent 2.0 initiative, is essential for identifying gaps and opportunities in the local talent ecosystem. Centering Learner Purpose A huge thank you to Mark Perna for his insightful keynote address which resonated deeply with our mission. His emphasis on helping young people find purpose as a way to guide their education and career journeys echoes our belief in centering learner and earner voice in all program design and development. Together with our partners, we’re proud to support the growing momentum across Colorado to create more connected, inclusive, and responsive talent development systems .

The April installment of our Professional Learning Series, “Apprenticeships for All” brought together leaders from across Colorado’s education and workforce landscape to explore how apprenticeships can better support learners on their path to high-value careers. A huge thanks to our panelists for sharing their work to expand high-quality apprenticeships and their insights on what it takes to ensure all learners can access and succeed in them: Kevin Riebau of Emily Griffith Technical College Londell Jackson of Apprenticeship Colorado Cori Gerlitz of the Construction Industry Training Council Bill Bicket of Greiner Electric And a very special thanks to Daesha Ottem for sharing her insights as an apprentice and now a project engineer at Greiner Electric ! Discussion Highlights Apprenticeship as a Path to a Degree Kevin Riebau shared the impact of HB25-1221, which was recently signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis. The law will allow EGTC to award Associate of Applied Science degrees to registered apprentices. This advancement creates stronger connections between hands-on learning and long-term career advancement. With more than 11% annual growth in apprentice enrollment , Kevin noted that interest in apprenticeships is higher than ever. EGTC’s offerings include registered apprenticeships in carpentry, electrical work, and voice-data tech—with new programs underway for school food specialists, HVACR, water operations and other high-value careers. Supports That Help Apprentices Succeed Panelists emphasized that apprenticeships are most effective when learners are supported every step of the way. Supports that can support learners in completing include: Flexible scheduling Mentorship and coaching Career navigation Assistance with childcare, transportation, and housing Challenges that Remain Daesha emphasized the need for clearer up-front information about possible career pathways and available supports. She also shared her experiences revealing gaps in continuity across programs, highlighting the need for collaboration across education and industry to support the success of apprentices. The Attainment Network’s Role We continue to: Partner with education and industry to expand access to high-quality apprenticeships Offer technical assistance and guidance for establishing high-quality apprenticeship programs or pursuing continuous improvement of existing programs Elevate strategies that center learner success Resources You can view the PowerPoint slides from the session here , and watch the full recording here. Check out some great resources available to those looking to start or improve apprenticeship programs in Colorado : 🔹 State of Colorado Apprenticeship Resources 🔹 The Attainment Network – Apprenticeship Toolkit 🔹 Emily Griffith Technical College – Apprenticeship Programs

Spring is in full swing, and The Attainment Network team is excited to be out and about across Colorado this April and May! We’re looking forward to learning alongside educators, employers, and community partners as we strengthen connections across the education-to-workforce landscape. Here’s where you can find us: Friday, April 18 – Cybersecurity K12 Summit, Colorado Springs Michelle will be diving into conversations about preparing students for careers in cybersecurity and advanced technology fields. Wednesday, April 23 – 2025 Talent Summit and 2nd Annual NOCO Sector Academy, Loveland Libby, Michelle, Katherine, and Rana will be facilitating conversations with key sector partnerships. Tuesday, April 29 -- Jeffco Business and Education Summit Rana and Michelle are excited to help connect local industry and business members to Jeffco Career and Technical Education programs. Wednesday, April 30 – Emily Griffith Foundation’s Celebration of Women in Trades, Denver Michelle is excited to support EGF and honor the women making an impact in trades. Monday, May 5 – Tuesday, May 6 – National Student Readiness Network (NSRN) Convening, Atlanta Rana and Michelle will be attending and connecting with national partners focused on student success and postsecondary readiness. Wednesday, May 7 – Colorado Business Roundtable Future of Work Event, “Looking Around Corners,” Denver Rana will be joining conversations about workforce innovation and the evolving needs of Colorado’s economy. Wednesday, May 7 - San Luis Valley Entrepreneurship and Innovation Expo 2025, “The Future of Healthcare,” Alamosa Ashley will join conversations about youth workforce innovation projects and expanding the future of healthcare in the San Luis Valley. Thursday, May 8 – Career Cluster Modernization Convening, Colorado Springs Libby will participate in this gathering to help shape the future of career and technical education clusters in Colorado. Friday, May 16 – Southwest Opportunity Now Talent Summit, Durango Rana, Ashley, Libby, and Katherine will head to Durango to collaborate with rural partners advancing inclusive career pathways. Thursday, May 22 – Friday, May 23 – Bloomberg Convening on Career and Technical Education, New York Rana will attend this national convening to share Colorado’s efforts and learn from CTE leaders across the country. These events reflect the vibrant work happening across the education-to-workforce landscape, and we’re honored to be part of it.  Are you planning to attend any of these events? We’d love to connect! Reach out or stop by and say hello!