The April installment of our Professional Learning Series, “Apprenticeships for All” brought together leaders from across Colorado’s education and workforce landscape to explore how apprenticeships can better support learners on their path to high-value careers. A huge thanks to our panelists for sharing their work to expand high-quality apprenticeships and their insights on what it takes to ensure all learners can access and succeed in them: Kevin Riebau of Emily Griffith Technical College Londell Jackson of Apprenticeship Colorado Cori Gerlitz of the Construction Industry Training Council Bill Bicket of Greiner Electric And a very special thanks to Daesha Ottem for sharing her insights as an apprentice and now a project engineer at Greiner Electric ! Discussion Highlights Apprenticeship as a Path to a Degree Kevin Riebau shared the impact of HB25-1221, which was recently signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis. The law will allow EGTC to award Associate of Applied Science degrees to registered apprentices. This advancement creates stronger connections between hands-on learning and long-term career advancement. With more than 11% annual growth in apprentice enrollment , Kevin noted that interest in apprenticeships is higher than ever. EGTC’s offerings include registered apprenticeships in carpentry, electrical work, and voice-data tech—with new programs underway for school food specialists, HVACR, water operations and other high-value careers. Supports That Help Apprentices Succeed Panelists emphasized that apprenticeships are most effective when learners are supported every step of the way. Supports that can support learners in completing include: Flexible scheduling Mentorship and coaching Career navigation Assistance with childcare, transportation, and housing Challenges that Remain Daesha emphasized the need for clearer up-front information about possible career pathways and available supports. She also shared her experiences revealing gaps in continuity across programs, highlighting the need for collaboration across education and industry to support the success of apprentices. The Attainment Network’s Role We continue to: Partner with education and industry to expand access to high-quality apprenticeships Offer technical assistance and guidance for establishing high-quality apprenticeship programs or pursuing continuous improvement of existing programs Elevate strategies that center learner success Resources You can view the PowerPoint slides from the session here , and watch the full recording here. Check out some great resources available to those looking to start or improve apprenticeship programs in Colorado : 🔹 State of Colorado Apprenticeship Resources 🔹 The Attainment Network – Apprenticeship Toolkit 🔹 Emily Griffith Technical College – Apprenticeship Programs
Spring is in full swing, and The Attainment Network team is excited to be out and about across Colorado this April and May! We’re looking forward to learning alongside educators, employers, and community partners as we strengthen connections across the education-to-workforce landscape. Here’s where you can find us: Friday, April 18 – Cybersecurity K12 Summit, Colorado Springs Michelle will be diving into conversations about preparing students for careers in cybersecurity and advanced technology fields. Wednesday, April 23 – 2025 Talent Summit and 2nd Annual NOCO Sector Academy, Loveland Libby, Michelle, Katherine, and Rana will be facilitating conversations with key sector partnerships. Tuesday, April 29 -- Jeffco Business and Education Summit Rana and Michelle are excited to help connect local industry and business members to Jeffco Career and Technical Education programs. Wednesday, April 30 – Emily Griffith Foundation’s Celebration of Women in Trades, Denver Michelle is excited to support EGF and honor the women making an impact in trades. Monday, May 5 – Tuesday, May 6 – National Student Readiness Network (NSRN) Convening, Atlanta Rana and Michelle will be attending and connecting with national partners focused on student success and postsecondary readiness. Wednesday, May 7 – Colorado Business Roundtable Future of Work Event, “Looking Around Corners,” Denver Rana will be joining conversations about workforce innovation and the evolving needs of Colorado’s economy. Wednesday, May 7 - San Luis Valley Entrepreneurship and Innovation Expo 2025, “The Future of Healthcare,” Alamosa Ashley will join conversations about youth workforce innovation projects and expanding the future of healthcare in the San Luis Valley. Thursday, May 8 – Career Cluster Modernization Convening, Colorado Springs Libby will participate in this gathering to help shape the future of career and technical education clusters in Colorado. Friday, May 16 – Southwest Opportunity Now Talent Summit, Durango Rana, Ashley, Libby, and Katherine will head to Durango to collaborate with rural partners advancing inclusive career pathways. Thursday, May 22 – Friday, May 23 – Bloomberg Convening on Career and Technical Education, New York Rana will attend this national convening to share Colorado’s efforts and learn from CTE leaders across the country. These events reflect the vibrant work happening across the education-to-workforce landscape, and we’re honored to be part of it. Are you planning to attend any of these events? We’d love to connect! Reach out or stop by and say hello!
Elevating insights from learners and earners
Elevate Your Expertise: Apprenticeships that Work for All Learners
Small Grants, Big Impact
This week, The Attainment Network celebrates Rana Tarkenton as she steps into the role of Chief Executive Officer. After serving as our Chief Operating Officer for the last five years, Rana brings both continuity and a clear vision for strengthening partnerships and designing education-to-career systems that meet the needs of today’s workforce and increase opportunities for learners. "As I step into the role of CEO at The Attainment Network, I feel honored and deeply grateful for the privilege of serving this team, our partners, and our communities," said Tarkenton. "These are challenging times for many in education and workforce development. Economic shifts, policy changes, and evolving career pathways require us to double down on collaboration and think creatively about how to support learners and earners while meeting the needs of employers. Even in uncertainty, one thing remains clear: partnership and intentional collaboration are required to create lasting opportunities." Under Rana’s leadership, The Attainment Network will continue working alongside partners to: ✅ Amplify learner and earner voices through meaningful engagement ✅ Foster meaningful collaboration among education, workforce, community leaders, and state-level policymakers ✅ Advance best practices and policies that break down barriers and expand access to meaningful careers “By working together, we are driving lasting change that ensures every learner—regardless of background—can step confidently into a high-value career,” Tarkenton emphasized. Later this month, we will celebrate the incredible impact our departing CEO has had on this organization. Today, we celebrate Rana, and we invite our partners and community members to connect with Rana and join us in this important work. If you'd like to collaborate or share insights, reach out to us at admin@attainmentnetwork.org
Innovations and Next Steps with Transfer Systems
After a rigorous and transparent search process, our board has unanimously and enthusiastically selected Rana Tarkenton as our new Chief Executive Officer.
In 2024, we made meaningful progress in strengthening education-to-career systems across Colorado. In collaboration with our partners and investors, we’ve helped more learners and earners access opportunities, supported local workforce needs, and built stronger, more connected communities. We invite you to explore our 2024 Annual Report , where we share key milestones and the impact of our collective work. Read the Report Here Thank you for being part of this journey. We look forward to continuing our work together in 2025!
The latest updates on Colorado’s new longitudinal data system
CREATING COMMUNITY AND ADVANCING LEARNING
Thank you for partnering with us to empower learners and strengthen communities.
We’re excited to share our new policy papers highlighting opportunities to expand career pathways for all learners and meet critical workforce needs in communities throughout Colorado.
Join representatives from the Governor’s Office and community partners from the Better Data for Better Decisions coalition for a virtual meeting hosted by The Attainment Network on January 30 at 10 a.m. to hear the latest updates on the development of Colorado’s new statewide longitudinal data system. Be a part of the conversation as we seek to create shared understanding and collaboratively envision the potential of a secure, relevant, accurate, and user-centered system to empower informed decision-making and smart investments. With so much momentum and so much good work happening, make sure your voice is included as we envision how we will use data in our work to serve learners and earners and meet critical workforce needs across Colorado. This virtual event is free and open to stakeholders of all professional expertise!
In partnership with Colorado Department of Education (CDE), The Attainment Network seeks Community Voice Evaluation Consultants to more fully develop a landscape review of Colorado career advising resources across sectors, and inform recommendations on unmet needs, best practices, and opportunities for efficiency and innovation in career advising to support learners and earners in pursuit of their goals. Deadline for submission is August 8th, 2024. For more information see the full RFP here .