Colorado is at the forefront of a movement to transform state workforces.
Since 2019, the State of Colorado has been experimenting with skills-based practices as a means to build a state workforce that reflects its citizens, meet its hiring goals in a competitive market, and prepare for the expected talent challenges of tomorrow.
In 2022, Governor Polis issued an executive order to formally transition the state to skills-based hiring. Since then, he has signed two other executive orders to promote work-based learning and apprenticeship opportunities in state government.
Together, these orders constitute a significant commitment to move away from traditional talent practices that rely heavily on degrees and explore ways to hire, develop, and retain workers based on the skills they demonstrate in the workplace. To implement this complex organizational change and implement its vision, the state is taking a multipronged approach at three levels of government.
NGA and Opportunity@Work have prepared a case study that looks at insights from Colorado’s efforts. Click here to read the case study, and then learn more about Skills-Based Hiring in the Public Sector.
