JOINT RELEASE: SIGNED! McCluskie, Bridges Bill to Connect Coloradans to Good-Paying Jobs

DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation to better connect students and workers with the resources and education they need for good-paying jobs.

“HB26-1317 lays the groundwork for a one-stop-shop for Colorado’s job seekers and learners,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “Our bipartisan law will unify and reimagine career-focused pathways to meet Colorado’s ever-changing business, workforce and education needs. This effort will equip our students with the tools and resources they need to land good-paying jobs in growing fields and boost our economy. From the classroom to the workforce, Colorado is focused on fostering strong, affordable pathways and partnerships that make it easier for Coloradans to secure the career of their dreams.” 

“The programs we’ve built to help people find jobs just don’t connect the way they should. This fragmentation makes them less effective for the very people they’re supposed to serve,” said Senator Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County. “This new law starts to fix that by reworking how we think about postsecondary pathways so more Coloradans can find real opportunities, contribute in their communities, and earn wages that actually pay the bills.”

HB26-1317 will better connect students and workers with the resources and education they need to secure good-paying jobs. The law, which is also sponsored by Representative Rick Taggart, R-Grand Junction and Senator Lisa Frizell, R-Castle Rock, will lay the foundation for a new, unified system and department for post-secondary education development. 

With a focus on a thoughtful, inclusive stakeholder process, this bill will establish a Transition Advisory Committee (TAC) of 27 members, including representatives from state agencies, institutions of higher education, apprenticeship programs, organized labor, local workforce centers, local government, non-profit associations and the business community. The TAC’s recommendations will serve as the structural outline for the new department.

This bill will also begin the process to unite several programs, including the Divisions of Employment and Training, Regional Talent Summit Initiatives, Plans and Opportunity Now Grants and Adult Education and Literacy Programs, among others, under one new agency. Last year, Governor Polis shared a new report outlining a robust roadmap to streamline and strengthen the way Coloradans access education, training and career support. 

Research shows that in the next six years, nearly three in four job openings will require some type of post-secondary credential. However, there is an attainment gap between the need for credentials and the number of Coloradans who earn them, which poses a challenge for Colorado’s economy and workforce. HB26-1317 will begin the process to streamline more than 20 divisions, offices and units across seven state entities that deliver more than 100 programs and initiatives to create a one-stop-shop for Coloradans’ access to post-secondary education, training and employment.