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Future of Work
The Office of the Future of Work Newsletter
October 2023
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Partners,
As we enter the fall season, we also enter a season full of celebrations and building awareness related to the future of work, apprenticeship, and digital equity. While there are many events, initiatives, and stories shared during these months from the workforce community, I wanted to highlight a few of the major ones for the Office of the Future of Work.
Over the last few months, the OFW team has been busy attending and presenting at a variety of conferences and convenings in the workforce space. From ThinkBig and the Career-Connected Education conferences in Colorado, to the State Apprenticeship Leadership Meeting in D.C. and the LAUNCH Summit in Indianapolis, we’ve been able to share and learn from others in the workforce development ecosystem.
During September we celebrated Workforce Development Month across the state and nation. Throughout the month, the department recognized the hard work of our state’s workforce development staff and their commitment to helping our state’s workers and employers. And then in the first week of October, we celebrated Digital Inclusion Week with our partners at the Colorado Broadband Office and the Office for eHealth Innovation. There are still many Coloradans in our communities that do not have access to a computer or high speed Internet in their homes.
Lastly, in November we gear up for Colorado Apprenticeship Month and National Apprenticeship Week (Nov 13-19) to shine a spotlight on the apprentices, businesses, partners, mentors, and champions that make up an incredible statewide system of Registered Apprenticeship.
I appreciate your partnership,
Katherine Keegan
Director of the Office of the Future of Work
Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
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 Celebrate Apprenticeship Month in Colorado this November!
While the rest of the nation celebrates National Apprenticeship Week from November 13-19, Colorado spends all of November celebrating apprenticeship and recognizing apprentices, employers, and champions across the state. Learn how to submit your Apprenticeship Month events for promotion, submit a proclamation to USDOL, and how to get involved by visiting our Apprenticeship Events page.
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Apprenticeship Funding Highlights
Through state and federal investments, Apprenticeship Colorado is responsible for expanding Registered Apprenticeship in alignment with in-demand occupations and increasing access to high-quality jobs. Through collaboration with workforce, education, partners, and apprenticeship intermediaries, Colorado continues to develop a high-quality Registered Apprenticeship system.
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19 Registered Apprenticeship Programs Registered from July-September 2023
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164 Apprentices served by federal Apprenticeship Expansion Grants in Colorado from July-September 2023
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 Apprenticeship Success Story
Registered Apprenticeship offers a proven path to success for future healthcare workers and a talent pipeline for employers in the healthcare sector. Arbor Family Medicine shares in our newest video why apprenticeships work and how their Medical Assistant Apprenticeship Program has been a game changer for the family medicine practice. They partnered with Front Range Community College as their Related Instruction Provider to make this program a success!
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 Digital Navigator AmeriCorps Programs
OFW and Serve Colorado are excited to share that the Digital Navigator AmeriCorps Program is launching at the end of October! Digital Navigators will work primarily one on one with community members-- in person, by phone and online--depending on the needs of each community member.
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 Digital Equity Open House
Digital Equity Open House virtual meetings are held most Fridays at noon. These 30-minute meetings provide opportunities for stakeholders to touch base with Colorado's Digital Equity Team on its Digital Access Plan progress, to provide input on the plan, to learn about the Digital Navigator pilot, and to help shape the way 2024 funding opportunities will be provided.
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OFW Staffing Updates
Since July, the Office of the Future of Work has welcomed more new members to our team!
- Jasmin Tellez, Program Development Specialist Apprentice
- Laura Oliveto, Grant Coordinator
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Connecting Career Seekers to Registered Apprenticeships
Interested in connecting your career seekers to Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs)? Community Partners in Apprenticeship are organizations that connect directly with RAPs referred by Apprenticeship Colorado to help them recruit apprentices. If you are interested in partnering to connect your career seekers to high-quality apprenticeship opportunities, reach out to Drew Grissom at drew.grissom@state.co.us.
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Digital Equity stakeholders from across Colorado convened in Durango this summer to discuss digital equity and the Colorado Digital Access Plan.
Digital Equity
Summer 2023 Digital Equity Roadshow
The summer months for our Digital Equity team were quite busy, traveling across Colorado to meet with community leaders to hear about the needs and challenges their communities face in regard to access to broadband Internet, computers, and digital skills. From Limon to Durango to Pueblo and more, the OFW looks forward to taking the feedback and conversations to create the Colorado Digital Access Plan.
Digital Inclusion Week
Colorado celebrated Digital Inclusion Week (DIW) from October 2nd to the 6th along with many other organizations and individuals across the nation to promote and increase digital equity in our communities. The Office of the Future of Work brought awareness to the digital inclusion actions being taken in our state through social media posts, a press release, and events!
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 DEIA Corner
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and it is a time to celebrate the contributions of workers with disabilities and to promote inclusive workplaces. Registered apprenticeship is a great way for people with disabilities to gain the skills and experience they need for high-wage, in-demand careers.
There are over 300 Registered Apprenticeship Programs in Colorado which cover a wide range of industries such as healthcare, construction, manufacturing, and technology. Registered apprenticeships offer several benefits for people with disabilities which including:
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On-the-job training: Apprentices learn the skills they need for their job directly from experienced workers. This can be especially helpful for people with disabilities who may have difficulty learning in a traditional classroom setting.
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Flexible learning: Registered Apprenticeship Programs can be tailored to the individual needs of the apprentice. This includes providing accommodations for people with disabilities.
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Supportive environment: Registered Apprenticeship Programs are designed to help apprentices succeed. Apprentices have access to mentors and other support staff who can help them with their training and career development.
Registered apprenticeships are a great way for people with disabilities to gain the skills and experience they need for high-wage, in-demand careers. If you are interested in learning more about registered apprenticeships in Colorado, please contact Apprenticeship Colorado at apprenticeship@state.co.us.
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Related News
Previous OFW Quarterly Newsletters
CDLE Quarterly Stakeholder Reports
Relevant Articles
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Contact Us
The Office of the Future of Work
633 17th Street, Suite 201
Denver, CO 80202
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