Putting Coloradans to work

Colorado needs more well-educated workers to meet the needs of the state’s employers. That’s according to the ninth annual Talent Pipeline Report, which found that Colorado had two job openings for every available worker in 2022.

It’s a dilemma that we here at Metropolitan State University of Denver have anticipated for years. For too long, Colorado relied on importing college-educated workers from other places. The lack of state investment in educating its own people has finally come home to roost, resulting in a workforce gap that leaders are now scrambling to plug.

Here’s the good news: MSU Denver is poised to help.

As it has throughout its history, the University is leveraging its innovative, career-focused programs to educate Coloradans to step into the highdemand, often lucrative jobs of today — and tomorrow. We are thankful that state and private organizations have also started to see the value in supporting these programs.

In this issue of RED Magazine, you’ll read about some of the standout programs moving Coloradans — often those from historically underrepresented communities — into the workforce. The University’s growing concurrent-enrollment program, for example, enables high school students to earn college credit before entering higher education. With a head start, these high-achieving students graduate sooner, pay less for college and get into their respective fields faster.

MSU Denver continues to train star educators for Colorado’s schools, in partnership with state government. Last year, state lawmakers approved a bill that created a much-needed student educator stipend program. The teachers of the future at MSU Denver are now being paid for their required hours of service as student teachers. The stipend has been a boon for the University’s Education students, removing a financial barrier and ensuring that more diverse educators get into the field.

We also recently launched a program designed to train students with autism for jobs in the booming cybersecurity field. Working with a community nonprofit, the University is facilitating learning experiences for neurodiverse students through a combination of customized training and hands-on projects. The students, often discounted as workforce contributors, are set to take the fight to cybercriminals.

Finally, no issue of RED would be complete without highlighting some of the extraordinary Roadrunners already making waves in the workforce. That includes an alumna who is advancing access to higher education for Native Americans and another who is educating students to succeed in jobs in the cannabis industry, among others.

The solution to the state’s workforce shortage couldn’t be clearer: Educate more Coloradans. And MSU Denver is on the job. Thank you for being a partner in our essential work.

Sincerely,

JANINE DAVIDSON, Ph.D. President, Metropolitan State University of Denver