Opportunity Now Grant Award to Scale our Work in Healthcare Pathways in the San Luis Valley

This is a testimony to the strength of work underway with the SLV Career-Connected Pathways Partnership and demonstrates the state’s commitment to rural communities, especially in the San Luis Valley. The Attainment Network is pleased by the state’s ongoing commitment to our goal of increasing the number of diverse learners and earners across Colorado gaining family living-wage employment. Thank you to the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade and to the Opportunity Now team for this important investment.

The Attainment Network is honored to support this community-led effort to meet the needs of the SLV community and employers by developing accessible, impactful, and learner-centered healthcare pathways. This important initiative enhances economic mobility across the SLV through intentional alignment across K-12, postsecondary, nonprofit, and healthcare systems. With over 24 partners, including the largest employers and training providers in the area, the SLV Partnership is building a robust, replicable model for cross-system collaboration within a rural ecosystem. 

Through the Opportunity Now investment we are prepared to deepen and expand the amazing work of our partners in the Valley to ensure all learners have the opportunity to pursue a quality career in healthcare. Funding from Opportunity Now will help meet the immediate and long-term needs of SLV’s healthcare workforce and will catalyze expansion into other industry areas to meet a range of industry needs in the Valley. We and our partners are prepared to deliver on these priorities to support the long-term vitality of the community and generations of Valley residents to come. 

Vision and Goals for SLV Partnership 

Since January 2022, The Attainment Network has developed a vision and strategy with 24 healthcare employers, community-based organizations, and educational institutions in the San Luis Valley to: 

• Activate a community vision shared by K-12, postsecondary, and Valley employers to expand healthcare career pathways across the San Luis Valley. 
• Honor the deep knowledge and expertise of the SLV community. 
• Engage K-12 districts to identify and expand access to career-connected programming and career certifications. 
• Invest in work-based learning opportunities, including paid internships. 
• Advance upskilling/reskilling healthcare programs with employers. 
• Offer compelling education and skills training opportunities for youth & adults that leads to economic opportunity. 
• Build a scalable, replicable model for partnership in other industries. 
• Foster systems-change through collaboration, capacity- and relationship-building for long-term sustainability.  

The Opportunity Now investment further aligns our vision and strategy with the state’s priorities and will provide resources to scale the work underway in the region and builds upon the regional partnership foundation that is serving the needs of the local community through proximal leadership, committed partnership, and a focus on evidence-based practices using data and evaluation. 

Visit opportunitynow.co to learn more about Phase 2 grant recipient’s programs and apply for Phase 3!