Colorado’s Swiss Apprenticeship Model A Letter from Governor Hickenlooper Colorado has the best economy in the country (U.S. News and World Report) and the lowest unemployment rate in the nation at 2.3% in April 2017. At the same time, we have thousands of jobs that go unfilled every week, from construction to health care to technology and everything in between. Colorado employers here identified a lack of qualified candidates “with the right skills” as the primary reason for not filling hundreds of middle skill positions. We know that one of the most effective ways to get adults and youth into jobs is to give them real world experience. Work-based learning combines skills training with related employment in real life settings. Apprenticeships and other work-based learning opportunities are a foundational piece of creating and maintaining a talent pipeline for Colorado’s businesses.
| Types | Organization |
| Start date | 2017 |