Metro Denver: Mile High Advantages
Workforce
Smart people who love to live here. Now that's a sustainable workforce.
The single most important element in determining the success of a business is the quality of its workers. All other factors like tax benefits simply sweeten the deal.
A core of young, highly educated workers populate Metro Denver. They come from all over the U.S. and the world, and once they discover Colorado, they seldom leave. Our combination of health, family, and career opportunities makes for a balanced life that's nearly impossible to match.
But Metro Denver isn’t content to just be a magnet for outside talent. We’re growing our own brain trust with a renewed focus on educational excellence, from preschool through ongoing job training.
So take a hard look at Metro Denver's smart, energetic workforce. You'll like what you see.
Energetic minds, by the numbers:
- No. 1 in top-scoring students in ACT and SAT tests
- No. 2 in workforce education
- No. 3 in educational attainment
- No. 3 in tech worker concentration
- No. 3 in creating new companies
- No. 5 in concentration of science & engineering grad students
We're as likely to produce a Nobel prize winner as an Olympic athlete.
Colorado appeals to the smart set. Productive, highly educated workers who love our climate and career challenges gravitate to Metro Denver from all over the world. Let's face it – these motivated workers could choose to live anywhere, but they consistently call Colorado home because of its inherent beauty and exciting lifestyle.
Our state is second to none in concentrated talent, making Metro Denver a crucible for innovation and entrepreneurism. The free exchange of ideas among our research universities and national laboratories, the business community, and municipal leadership fosters a maverick mentality.
After all, this is the West, where the best approaches quickly gain ground regardless of pedigree. The proof is in Metro Denver's diversified economy of thriving industries, including aerospace, aviation, bioscience, energy, financial services, and information technology - software.
Metro Denver WIRED Initiative Goals:
- Develop a home-grown skilled workforce
- Promote excellence in STEM education
- Establish a post-secondary certificate or an associates degree as the minimum educational standard
- Seamlessly integrate workforce, education, and economic development programs
- Foster an entrepreneurial business climate
Building our workforce pipeline. From within.
Competing in the worldwide economy starts with innovation at home, specifically in regions like Metro Denver. Fueled by a four-year, $15-million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, the Metro Denver WIRED (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development) Initiative ushers in a new era of focused education and occupational readiness.
Using a transformational approach to workforce development, the Metro Denver WIRED Initiative is working to create a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers from area schools, community colleges, and universities to fill high-demand positions in industries with the greatest growth opportunities, coupled with the largest potential for labor shortages: aerospace, bioscience, energy, and information technology - software.
And since all of these fields require advanced math and science skills, the initiative emphasizes strengthening science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in current and future workforces.
The Metro Denver EDC and the Denver Office of Economic Development are charged with coordinating the WIRED grant to integrate workforce development, economic development, and education on a regional level. Metro Denver’s national and global competitiveness depends on the ability to meet our industries future workforce needs.
Colorado ranks third nationally for higher education success in relation to funding.
– National Center for Higher Education Management Systems
The brain power to fuel business. Today and tomorrow.
Metro Denver has a wealth of universities, national laboratories, research institutions, community colleges, and specialized training centers. With so many available resources, our residents are well-equipped to respond to the evolving needs of today’s work environment.
At the same time, there’s a full-steam-ahead push to strengthen educational resources on every level. We understand that the region must nurture homegrown genius, and not rely strictly on imported talent. That’s why Metro Denver and its business and government leaders are actively supporting increased funding and higher standards for public education – from preschool to post-graduate studies.
Denver citizens passed the Preschool Matters ballot initiative to support the Denver Preschool Program which will send up to 4,000 children throughout Metro Denver to preschool beginning in 2008. The newly created $50 million Denver Scholarship Foundation funds higher education for all 2007 graduates at four Denver high schools. The foundation seeks to annually fund scholarships for all graduates of Denver Public Schools.
Explore all of the educational and workforce training options available in Metro Denver.