Pikes Peak Business & Education Alliance launches community-wide, work-based learning initiative
Pikes Peak Business & Education Alliance (PPBEA) is launching a community-wide, work-based learning initiative on July 1, 2019, to help connect K-12 classrooms and students with the economic landscape.
PPBEA is a public-private, workforce development collaboration amongst over 100 employers, all twelve El Paso County public school districts and two charter schools. PPBEA is organized under the administration of the Pikes Peak Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES).
PPBEA’s vision is to enhance economic vitality in the Pikes Peak region by creating productive and meaningful work-based learning connections points between industry and education where industry is able to attract, inform, train and recruit talent moving through the K-12 system, and where students have an opportunity to explore careers, investigate occupations, receive training and certifications and enter employment in an in-demand, meaningful and rewarding entry-level occupation.
An accelerating immersion in work-based learning is the foundational practice for our initiative. These opportunities include class presentations, site tours, project mentorship, job shadows, informational interviews, internships, and youth apprenticeships.
We believe the ideal state in K-12 will exist when students’ talents, interests, and aptitudes are connected to the economic landscape. That means students must be informed of current and anticipated demand for occupations in our economy to make informed decisions on how they can prepare themselves to enter these occupations through focused education and work-based learning. That also means our business partners who participate in this partnership will establish a talent development pipeline into highly demanded occupations in our community, leading to a more balanced supply of talent to fill tens of thousands of current and future job openings.
PPBEA will initially focus its efforts in helping balance labor supply and demand in the highest growth occupations in our community:
- Registered nurses and related healthcare occupations
- Cybersecurity, computer science, and Information technology occupations
- Skilled crafts and trades in advanced manufacturing and construction
- Culinary arts and hospitality
- Business management and operations
PPBEA will operate and maintain the work-based learning MARKETPLACE, our own, internal “Indeed.com” for employer-sponsored work-based learning postings. The MARKETPLACE will provide a simple call to action for our classrooms and students to participate in these opportunities.
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Press release courtesy of Pikes Peak Business & Education Alliance