Announcing the SyncUp Colorado Finalists!

Educators, employers, and young people have historically seen the four-year degree as the primary pathway to access a quality career. Degrees deliver great value for some, but for young people who are unable to afford or complete a degree, there are very few viable alternatives.

Enter the SyncUp Colorado Challenge, which works to create viable, affordable, alternative pathways to high-quality careers. For these pathways to be viable, they need to do three things: be transparent about the outcomes and cost, help young people obtain job-relevant skills, and ensure that employers value, recognize, and hire from these pathways.

Since April, Skild has powered the SyncUp challenge. Now, we’re proud to say that the finalists have been announced! But before we reveal who they are, we should call out all 130 applicants representing communities across Colorado and bringing cross-sector partners together in inspiring ways. The partnerships and solutions presented innovative models to create opportunities for young Coloradans to access meaningful careers in more than 40 high-growth industries, ranging from clean energy to healthcare.

In total, 17 finalists emerged in two sectors: Seed Solutions and Scale Solutions. The finalist organizations offer a range of opportunities to those seeking alternative career pathways — from preparing young adults for careers in cybersecurity to helping young people from under-resourced communities in rural and suburban areas deliver immersive career exploration through virtual reality.

Click here to learn more about SyncUp Colorado, and stay tuned — winners will be announced on October 25!