Colorado Talent Academy
Advanced Manufacturing Employer Collaborative Denver Region REGIONAL SNAPSHOT Priority industries from the Opportunity Now Regional Talent Summits: »
Advanced Manufacturing
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Aerospace & Defense
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Clean Energy
Sector Partnerships:
INDUSTRY FOCUS Advanced Manufacturing This collaborative will co-design a stronger advanced manufacturing workforce to fill high-need roles such as manufacturing engineers, machinists, quality inspectors, electrical technicians, and mid-level managers. Advanced Manufacturing was selected because: »
Strong regional momentum in advanced manufacturing supports aerospace, bioscience, and other top industries.
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Persistent outreach and overlapping initiatives have created employer fatigue; a coordinated, employer-driven approach through Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) is needed.
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Some key regional partners are already bought into the TPM process.
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Tech Talent Boulder/ Broomfield
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Aerospace
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Denver Metro Construction
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Boulder Area Advanced Manufacturing
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Boulder Area Food
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Beverage & Hospitality
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Metro West Advanced Manufacturing
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Metro West Construction Alliance
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Tech Talent Denver
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Behavioral Health Sector Partnership
THE CHALLENGE Career pathways remain siloed and unclear, and public perception often paints manufacturing careers as outdated or undesirable. There is a skill mismatch between open jobs and candidates, while training programs lack the instructors, equipment, and funding needed to scale.
LABOR MARKET INSIGHTS
93,500
Advanced Manufacturing Jobs in Denver metro
20,000+
workers each in Jefferson, Boulder, & Denver counties
4% GROWTH projected by 2029
100+
Postsecondary and CTE programs in relevant skills such as engineering, welding, and manufacturing
★ NORTH STAR
Build a coordinated, employer-led manufacturing ecosystem where students have clear pathways into high-demand roles across sub-sectors, training is aligned and well-resourced, and businesses have the skilled workforce needed to compete and innovate.
GOALS & ACTIVITIES This collaborative will apply the Talent Pipeline Management® framework to align employers, educators, and training providers to build pipelines in Advanced Manufacturing. AUG 2025–JUN 2026
Organize Employer Collaboratives Coordinate with existing collaboratives and initiatives to avoid duplication, and identify a neutral convener to coordinate cross-sector stakeholders without bias. SEP 2025–FEB 2026
Engage in Demand Planning Distribute and analyze employer survey on demand, barriers, and opportunities.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES 1
OCT 2025–FEB 2026
Communicate Competency & Credential Requirements Identify core competencies and clarify pathways, especially how subsector career tracks intersect. OCT 2025–MAR 2026
Analyze Talent Flows Assess trainer availability, program capacity, and resource restraints; map current hiring sources and drop-off points.
2
3 4
Validate Tier 1 and Tier 2 preferred training providers across all collaborative members. Increase enrollment and completion rates in Tier 1 programs aligned to Manufacturing Engineer roles. Reduce the regional shortage of Manufacturing Engineers. Improve retention, product quality, and workplace morale through access to higher-quality talent.
DEC 2025–JUN 2026
Build Talent Supply Chains Partner with preferred providers to co-design curricula and “train-thetrainer” models; define measures for placement, time-to-hire, and retention.
LEARN MORE coloradosucceeds.org/talentacademy
MAR–JUN 2026
Continuous Improvement Track progress with shared scorecards and build sustainability through governance, funding, and knowledge transfer strategies.
SPONSORED BY
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH