SkillBuild Colorado to be Honored June 21 By National Fund for Workforce Solutions in Washington, D.C.

For Immediate Release

DENVER (June 17, 2011) – The National Fund for Workforce Solutions (NFSW) will honor SkillBuild Colorado June 21 for their innovative approach to helping low-income workers and employers succeed in a post-recession economy.

SkillBuild is one of 31 regional funding collaboratives that will be recognized at a private, Washington, D.C. reception that will feature remarks by Jane Oates, assistant secretary for employment and training at the U.S. Department of Labor.

SkillBuild Colorado is a funding collaborative that is hosted by Rose Community Foundation and focuses on moving entry level workers into middle skill careers and helping businesses recruit and retain a skilled competitive workforce. Local funding partners commit resources to design and implement strategies to improve workforce development for the Denver Metro region and Colorado. Each of the member organizations invests in workforce training and education, industry consortia and policy changes that improve the talent development system in the region and across the state. The ultimate goal is to ensure a skilled workforce to drive economic prosperity for workers and businesses. Local funders and partners include, Anschutz Foundation, The Children’s Hospital, the City and County of Denver Division of Workforce Development, Denver Health, J.P. Morgan Chase, Mi Casa Family Resource Center, Mile High United Way, Rose Community Foundation, Rose Women’s Organization, University of Colorado Hospital, the Women’s Foundation of Colorado and Xcel Energy,

The NFWS collaboratives, which consist of public funders and philanthropies, have organized more than 100 workforce partnerships, involving more than two thousand employers. These partnerships focus on industry sectors important to the local economies, identifying the exact skills and competencies needed for success in that industry and market. Armed with this knowledge and bolstered by an ongoing relationship with employers, the collaboratives have proven effective at creating and implementing training and education that leads to employment and career advancement.

“The collaboratives being celebrated are delivering shared value to employers and employees alike,” said Damian Thorman, national director at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and chair of NFSW. “Employers benefit because they get access to the skilled workforce they need to compete. Employees benefit because they acquire the skills and certifications that lead to careers and wages to support their families.”

“This work is demonstrating an approach to workforce development that serves as an innovative and effective model for policymakers.”

“SkillBuild Colorado has been successful in convening stakeholders to leverage more than $2 million in resources to develop public/private partnerships that invest strategically in workforce development and drive economic recovery for the region and the state,” added Elsa Holguin, chair of SkillBuild Colorado.

It is a formula that has yielded more than $100 million in local matches to investments by the NFSW, and helped tens of thousands of workers and jobseekers advance toward careers.

About the National Fund for Workforce Solutions:

The National Fund for Workforce Solutions is an award-winning national initiative focused on helping low-wage workers obtain good careers while also ensuring that employers have access to workers with the high-quality skills that will enable success in this highly competitive economy. Since 2008, the National Fund has raised nearly $24 million to support its work in 31 communities. Local funders in these communities have contributed an additional $104 million in locally generated resources from 216 different funding sources, including community foundations, United Way affiliates, corporate foundations, workforce investment boards, chambers of commerce and state agencies. Participating communities have created local funding collaboratives that have collectively invested in more than 100 workforce partnerships since 2007. Ten national funders lead the effort: Annie E. Casey Foundation; the California Endowment; Ford Foundation; John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Chase; Microsoft; The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation; The Hitachi Foundation; the Prudential Foundation; and the Walmart Foundation

For more information regarding SkillBuild Colorado, contact Paula Gomez Farrell, director, (303) 398-7407 or paula.gomezfarrell@skillbuildcolorado.org.

 

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