Building the workforce of tomorrow.
The Metro Denver WIRED Initiative was largely funded through a four-year federal grant from the U.S. Department of Labor that started in early 2006 and finished at the end of January 2010.
The Success Stories online knowledge base includes profiles of all of the Metro Denver WIRED Projects and Grantees. Users can choose to view a summary of each grant the Metro Denver WIRED Initiative has disbursed by either projects or grantees. Additionally, a few success stories were added from individuals that completed WIRED programs.
Learn more about the projects.
Learn more about the grantees.
Learn more about individuals' success stories.
Over the course of four years, WIRED disbursed most of its money through competitive grants. Twenty-six organizations were awarded funds through three main rounds of grant funding (JumpStart, Workforce Innovation I and Workforce Innovation II). Additionally, five schools were awarded career academy grants, seven workforce centers were awarded funds to support Individual Training Account (ITAs) and one workforce center was awarded Strategies to Enhance Colorado’s Talent through Regional Solutions (SECTOR) funding. Each grant recipient partnered with businesses, schools, non-profits, economic development and workforce development organizations to implement their programs.
Preliminary data from December 2009 showed that WIRED had achieved the following accomplishments. These numbers continued to grow until the end of the grant.
- 2,642 individuals completed workforce education/training
- 2,276 individuals attained a degree, certificate or industry certified credential
- 775 individuals completing workforce education/training and were placed into employment
- 1,347 low income/minority participants completed WIRED programs
- 532 educators were prepared for instruction in targeted industries and/or STEM skills
- 18,056 additional students are projected to be trained as a result
- 552 career guidance strategies, work-based strategies, curriculum/education/training programs were developed or revised
Jumpstart
In January 2007, funds were awarded through the JumpStart grant program, the first subgrant process of the Metro Denver WIRED Initiative. JumpStart supports collaborations among existing education, training, entrepreneurship, and other workforce or industry-specific career development partners that expand and/or replicate successful programs to serve the needs of WIRED target industries. Of the 25 applications received through a Request for Proposal process, 10 were funded to a total of $3.7 million.
Workforce Innovation Grant I
The WIRED Workforce Innovation Grant program seeks to address specific industry needs by funding innovative workforce development, training, entrepreneurship, and other industry-specific education and training partnership projects. Specifically, it focuses on employment or employee advancement in WIRED’s four target industry clusters. In March 2008, 10 projects were approved for funding in the first of two rounds of Workforce Innovation Grants for a total of just over $3 million.
Workforce Innovation Grant II
The goal behind the Workforce Innovation Grant II is similar to that of Workforce Innovation Grant I. The grants provide job training and related activities to assist workers (both unemployed and employed) in gaining skills and competencies needed to obtain or upgrade employment positions in high growth industries and economic sectors. The grants encompass new processes, partnership structures, and ideas for training or other workforce or industry-specific career development and education programs. In October 2008, six projects were approved for funding in the second round of Workforce Innovation Grants to a total of $1.2 million.