The Work-Based Learning Incentive Program (WBLIP), launched in 2022 with $3 million in funding from the Colorado legislature, provided financial incentives to employers across the state who provided high-quality work-based learning experiences, which can help build a stronger, more resilient talent pipeline for Colorado’s future.
In 2022, the Expansion of Experiential Learning Opportunities bill (SB22-140), introduced by Sen. James Coleman and Rep. Barbara McLachlan, passed with bipartisan support to fund the program. The bill was part of a package of strategies centered on work-based learning (WBL) and provided a one-time payment of up to $10,000 to employers to offset some of the costs associated with work-based learning.
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) selected Colorado Succeeds as one of five intermediaries to administer funds to employers, along with the Arvada Chamber of Commerce, the Fort Collins Area Chamber, the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce, and the Colorado Restaurant Association. Colorado Succeeds strategically focused on rural employers and disseminated a total of $400,000 to businesses across the state.
Work-based learning encompasses a continuum of activities from career exploration and job shadowing to internships and apprenticeships and has a well-documented track record of delivering positive student outcomes. Participants in work-based learning programs tend to have higher GPAs, be more engaged in their education, and experience better postsecondary and career outcomes than their peers. By incentivizing employers to create or enhance quality work-based learning experiences, WBLIP has helped ensure that more Colorado students can reap these benefits.
For Back Roads Enterprises in Ouray, WBLIP funding enabled them to hire two apprentices in the plumbing and heating trades.
“The program’s impact has been significant,” said Melinda Heinold of Back Roads. “Construction is an ever-growing field that needs apprentices, and we were able to hire two outstanding students who were ready to come to work.”
The funding also allowed Back Roads to provide the student apprentices with the protective gear and tools they needed to learn the job as well as offer stipends. “One of the most important means of support was the ability to pay them a salary while they were learning, going to school, and receiving school credit for the program, and this significantly impacted our students, who both are at an economic disadvantage,” said Heinold.
3 Rocks Engineering & Surveying in Cañon City used WBLIP funding to enhance its long-standing internship program with Cañon City High School.
“Our internship program has given us a source of talented drafters,” said Alex Ewers, owner of 3 Rocks. “Finding exceptional drafters is typically very difficult for engineering firms…but because we’ve invested in developing our own, it’s been one of our biggest strengths.”
WBLIP helped 3 Rocks provide its interns with the software licenses and modern computers they needed to work on real projects and make meaningful contributions to the firm. Ewers and the other 3 Rocks team members are big supporters of work-based learning, and their program is a model for public-private partnerships.
Ewers says, “[WBL] has allowed us to develop our own future workforce, and we’ve been thankful to have had the opportunity to hire many of our former interns as full-time staff. Many of our drafters graduated locally and wanted to go into engineering but couldn’t for one reason or another, and we’ve developed a program that allows them the opportunity to work in the engineering field and continue to develop their skills.”
For the Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative in Durango, WBLIP supported the launch of new internship opportunities within the organization.
“By offering work-based learning experiences, we were able to expand our social media presence as well as increase the number of organizations we are collaborating with for our programs,” said Patrick Fredricks, Deputy Director of the Collaborative.
More than 50 rural employers benefitted from Colorado Succeeds’ efforts through the Work-Based Learning Incentive Program. These employers represented 25 rural communities and diverse industries, including health and vet clinics, accountants, fire districts, and electricians.
While partners such as Back Roads Enterprises and 3 Rocks enhanced existing programs, others used the funds to support new WBL opportunities. The Colorado Succeeds team partnered with schools and career coordinators to identify employers, and then worked directly with employers to engage in WBLIP. Some of the programs that hatched from these conversations included an automotive internship in La Veta, a design internship at an Arkansas Valley salon, and a job shadow with a Life Coach for a student interested in psychology.
Colorado Succeeds worked closely with the employers during the year-long program and was inspired by both the success stories of young people and rural employers. Across the state, Colorado Succeeds witnessed a strong interest in offering WBL opportunities and a need for additional resources to support this work. The data also shows that once employers integrate WBL into their company, they often expand to additional opportunities on the WBL continuum.
As a pilot program, key learnings and barriers rose to the surface throughout the program:
- Speaking the language of business can be a challenge for K12 and higher education partners, and vice versa.
- Programs must be designed with the employer in mind and led with a focus on return on investment.
- A clearly communicated “why” and simple documentation reduce barriers to participation by eliminating burdensome processes.
- Equitable requirements allow all types of businesses to benefit from this and similar programs. Barriers that could exclude small and rural businesses, many of which have fewer staff members and resources than larger corporations, should be carefully considered.
As Colorado looks to the future, WBLIP underscores the importance of continuing to invest in work-based learning. By providing employers with resources and support, we can ensure that every learner, no matter where they live or what their career aspirations are, has the chance to benefit from real-world work experience.
