As employers struggle to recruit, retain and train the workforce they need for today, many of them are also looking at the need to develop a talent pipeline. The demographics of the overall workforce will force businesses to be more creative and collaborative in developing our local talent. In Mesa County we already have a leg up because of the collaboration that already exists between the School District, Western Colorado Community College, Colorado Mesa University the Mesa County Workforce Center and the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce.
Indeed, it was that partnership and shared vision that led to the introduction of a robust apprenticeship program known as CareerWise three years ago. CareerWise is a growing state-wide effort that brings businesses into the education of high school students by coupling time in the classroom with time in the business doing progressively more complex tasks that lead to careers. Careers from manufacturing to healthcare will be available in the Grand Junction Area and by building relationships between students and businesses now this “grow your own” effort will keep some of the region’s best and brightest in our region while helping local companies grow.
The effort to create apprenticeship opportunities through CareerWise for 2019 is underway now with business recruitment slated to close within the next 30 to 60 days so student recruitment can get underway. We applaud the businesses that have already placed or will be placing students in their workplaces, shown below. To learn how your business can join them, please contact Linda Spencer at 970-261-0915.
Our thanks to these CareeWise business leaders:
Bank of Colorado
Community Hospital
Enstrom Candies
Grand Junction Fire Department
CoorsTek, Inc.
DT Swiss, Inc.
GPD Global, Inc.
Monument Health
ProStar GeoCorp, Inc.
Mesa County Valley School District 51
Western Colorado Community College
West Star Aviation, Inc.