Complete College Colorado Program Launches In Denver
Governor Bill Ritter, Jr. announced the launch of Complete College Colorado, an action campaign to increase postsecondary degree attainment in Colorado.
This new initiative aims to enhance awareness of programs and services available across Colorado to help individuals reach their goal of completing higher education degrees or certificates.
The campaign also emphasizes the importance of post-secondary degrees for Colorado’s economic future, a key point made in newly released recommendations from the Governor’s Higher Education Strategic Planning Committee.
“Colorado’s ability to compete in the 21st century economy will depend on how well we prepare our children for the jobs of the future, which will increasingly require a college degree. Making college affordable and accessible to Colorado’s children has been a top priority of my administration. That includes helping our students go the last mile to earn their degrees, which is why I am launching Complete College Colorado,” said Gov. Ritter. “I know first-hand the profound impact a college education can have on your life. My ability to afford college and a law degree opened many doors of opportunity for me and ultimately helped me to become Governor. I want all Colorado children to have the same opportunity for success.”
The campaign was kicked off today at the new Science Building on Denver’s Auraria Campus. It will include a variety of events, statewide community outreach, a website, www.completecollegecolorado.com, and a social media (Facebook) component.
Partners include the Colorado Department of Higher Education, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, CollegeInvest, College in Colorado, and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Sponsors include the Denver Foundation, Kaiser Permanente of Colorado, Qwest Communications, and United Launch Alliance.
“The importance of a higher education degree cannot be overstated,” said Rico Munn, executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education. “According to recent figures published by the Higher Education Strategic Planning Committee, having an associate’s degree increases the wages of a high school graduate by 36 percent over a lifetime, while obtaining a bachelor’s degree almost doubles the income of a high school graduate. An individual with a master’s degree makes approximately 150 percent more than a high school graduate, and a doctoral degree or professional degree triples or quadruples an individual’s earning potential, respectively.”
The campaign will focus on four primary themes in relation to the attainment of higher education degrees:
- The impact of degree attainment on Colorado’s workforce and economy
- Financial aid resources available across the state to help individuals afford higher education
- The P-20 education reform movement (designed to address public education improvement through the entire educational continuum – from pre-school through higher education)
- Programs and services available statewide to assist adults in returning to school to complete their degrees
“Improving degree attainment statewide will be crucial in order to meet the future jobs and workforce needs of the state,” said Kelly Brough, CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. “According to a recent study, Colorado ranks fifth among the states for the percentage of jobs in 2018 that will require a postsecondary education and third for those that will require a bachelor’s degree. It is further estimated that by 2018, 67% of all jobs in Colorado will require some postsecondary training. As things stand currently, in order to fill these jobs, Colorado will need to import qualified workers from other states or countries or risk losing the business. Having a more educated workforce better positions Colorado to be competitive in the marketplace of the future.”
More information about Complete College Colorado is available at www.completecollegecolorado.com
Topics: 2010, America, business, college, Colorado, community outreach, degree, economic development, economic growth, Economy, education, employment, facebook, financial aid, Governance, government, Governor Bill Ritter, graduate, grants, higher education, internet, investment, jobs, learning, loans, moniter, news, online, skills, social media, society, students, teachers, U.S., United States, university, workforce
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