WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Business is the economic engine of the state and it has the power to lift people out of poverty. We believe the best way to address poverty includes connecting individuals to meaningful work. Our businesses are hungry for talent and yet there are those in our community who are being overlooked.
To help address this problem we have entered into an exclusive partnership with ActivateWork, a people-centered recruiting firm in the entry-to-middle skill labor market that connects talent to opportunity. Their mission is to activate low-income individuals into their inherent potential through the dignity of work.
ActivateWork helps Denver-area businesses discover, retain, and develop motivated and loyal talent in hard-to-fill and high-turnover jobs. Colorado Concern recommends Activate Work to our member companies and endorses their groundbreaking approach to poverty alleviation. Learn more at activatework.org.
Professional Careers and Collegiate Programs
The Colorado Concern goal is to create pathways for 400 individuals into professional careers, collegiate programs, and youth apprenticeships over the next five years.
For early- to mid-career positions
ActivateWork is an employer-centric and people-focused recruiting and coaching firm that creates an equitable path for individuals seeking careers and employers seeking talent.
ActivateWork also has an IT training program that delivers a comprehensive approach to developing tech talent which includes curriculum design, career readiness coaching, and job placement.
For college student positions
In partnership with MSU, Activate and Colorado Concern are building a student success pathway from university into careers that create economic mobility.
In this one-year Activate Leadership Program, students commit to full-time summer employment and part-time fall and spring employment and receive Activate’s professional development coaching throughout the year. Upon graduation, employers may transition students into full-time positions with post-placement coaching through Activate for long-term success
Why MSU?
- Named 5th most innovative university in the West
- 57% are first-generation college students
- 96% of students are from CO and 80% of graduates remain in CO
- 48% represent a diverse population and serve the Latinx-serving institutions.