Work-Based Learning & Skills-Based Hiring
The Work-Based Learning (WBL) and Skills-Based Hiring (SBH) initiatives form a dynamic partnership that benefits both job seekers and employers. WBL helps individuals gain the right skills, while SBH ensures those skills are recognized and rewarded in the hiring process. By connecting learning and hiring, we aim to create a more inclusive and efficient workforce where opportunities are driven by capability, not just credentials.
Explore our resources to learn how you can engage with WBL programs, leverage SBH practices, and become part of a workforce revolution that values skills, fosters growth, and builds a stronger future for everyone.
Audience
The WBL and SBH initiatives were designed to provide access to livable wages for all Coloradans, regardless of educational attainment. This page is specifically designed for State employees who are involved in workforce development and recruitment. Its purpose is to serve as a centralized hub of resources, tools, and guidance to facilitate the implementation of SBH and WBL strategies, ultimately fostering a more skilled and equitable workforce across Colorado.
WBL/SBH Timeline:
Executive Order Overview:
Two pivotal executive orders have laid the foundation for advancing WBL and SBH across Colorado, positioning these approaches as key drivers in workforce development and talent acquisition. These executive orders reflect Colorado’s commitment to innovation in workforce development, making it easier for the State to find talent and for workers to identify & pursue meaningful careers.
Work-Based Learning
Work-Based Learning (Executive Order 2023-016)
Executive Order 2023-016, written to supersede Executive Order 2022-027, was enacted to foster a stronger connection between education and the workforce, emphasizing practical, on-the-job training opportunities. By encouraging partnerships between industry, educational institutions, and the government, the order aims to create pathways that equip Coloradans with the skills needed to meet the demands of a modern economy.
Why WBL?
Real-World Experience
WBL Programs, including internships and apprenticeships allow participants to gain valuable experience while working alongside seasoned professionals in their fields.
Skill Development
Through structured learning and mentorship, WBL fosters the growth of essential skills that align with the needs of State agencies.
Career Pathways
WBL creates pathways for career advancement within the state workforce, helping participants transition into full-time roles after completing their programs.
The Work Based Learning Continuum is designed to illustrate the variety of work-based learning activities that can be pursued, as well as the dynamics of which activities are housed primarily within educational entities and which are located on a job site. This tool provides clarity about the roles of different stakeholders and enhanced communication between partners.
The WBL programs are divided into three fields including Learning About Work, Learning Through Work, and Learning At Work.
Skills Based Hiring
Skills-Based Hiring (Executive Order 2022-015)
Focusing on hiring practices that prioritize skills over traditional qualifications like degrees, Executive Order 2022-015 directs state agencies and encourages private employers to adopt SBH strategies. The goal is to make hiring more inclusive, opening doors for individuals with non-traditional educational backgrounds and ensuring that the best candidates are selected based on competencies that directly match job needs.
Why SBH?
Skills & Competencies
SBH emphasizes the importance of the skills & abilities required for success in specific roles. It ensures hiring practices are aligned with job requirements by recognizing that skills can be developed through various pathways, including formal education, work experience, volunteering, self-directed learning, and other life experiences, rather than relying solely on traditional credentials.
Equitable Practices
By expanding the criteria for recruitment, SBH promotes a more diverse workforce, creating access and opportunity. This opens doors to individuals from varied backgrounds, creating opportunities for those who may have gained skills through non-traditional pathways.
Improved Retention
Employees hired through SBH tend to have higher retention rates, as they are matched with roles that suit their skills and aspirations. This leads to greater job satisfaction, engagement, and long-term commitment.
National trends confirm that traditional four-year degree attainment is declining across the country (US Census Bureau). Work-Based Learning (WBL) and Skills-Based Hiring (SBH) are strategies the State of Colorado identified to identify and train talent as fewer Coloradans opt into college. These strategies encourage evaluating a broader set of qualifying experiences and training workers on the job to equip them for successful careers in the state government.
Impact
WBL and SBH initiatives have made significant strides in workforce development within Colorado’s State agencies:
- Executive Order D 2023 016, in Directive H, requires each agency to implement two work-based learning programs by December 30, 2025. The chart below illustrates the number of programs implemented each quarter since the EO began on September 7, 2023. With the goal being 40 programs implemented.
- Executive Order D 2022 015, requires each agency to remove four year degree requirements from job postings whenever possible. The chart below illustrates the cumulative percentage of postings since April 2024 that do not require a four year degree, with the goal being 100% by the end of June 2025.
