Quarterly Meeting Notes – August 26, 2026 – 72 attendees; 68 registered
Thank you to our Breakfast Sponsors: Weld County Workforce Center and Larimer County Workforce and Economic Development – Carol Salter and Janine Ledingham provided an overview of the workforce centers in Weld and Larimer Counties and their role in supporting the regional workforce.
State of the Health Care Workforce –
Adam Crowe presented data on the health care industry, focusing on:
• Job Growth
• Workforce and Competition
• Recruiting – Medical Assistants
• Recruiting – Registered Nurses
Key Takeaways:
Job growth is an important component of understanding the health care workforce challenge. The data was presented to help the partnership understand how Northern Colorado’s employment growth compares with broader state and national trends.
The region is also experiencing significant competition for health care talent. Employers are competing not only with other health care organizations but also with employers in other industries for the same workforce. Understanding the size and availability of the workforce, as well as the level of employer competition, is critical to developing effective recruitment and retention strategies.
Areas to consider include:
• Whether the number of trained Medical Assistants is keeping pace with employer demand
• How much competition exists among employers
• Whether education and training programs are producing enough candidates
• How compensation affects recruitment and retention
• How Northern Colorado compares with national workforce trends
The RN discussion emphasized that workforce challenges extend beyond simply producing more graduates. Northern Colorado employers are also competing for an existing workforce, making recruitment and retention critical components of the regional strategy.
The presentation specifically included information about:
• Where Registered Nurses are located
• Cost-of-living considerations that may influence recruitment
• The relationship between available workers and employer demand
Registered Apprenticeship 101 Info Session – Nancy Murray
The session is designed to help businesses understand:
• Benefits of apprenticeship
• How to determine whether a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) is appropriate for their business
• Steps for developing or connecting to an existing RAP
• Resources available to businesses to launch and sustain an apprenticeship program
Information Sessions
When: Second Thursday of each month
Time: 10:00–11:00 a.m.
Format: Virtual
Businesses can also schedule a no-cost, one-on-one consultation with Nancy Murray through Larimer County Economic & Workforce Development. murrayno@co.larimer.co.us
Poudre & Thompson School Districts – Developing the Future Health Care Workforce
• Nick Peterson – Poudre School District
• Susan Scott – Thompson School District
Colorado’s “Big Three”
The presentation introduced Colorado’s Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) vision.
Under SB25-315, Colorado’s goal is for every Coloradoan, by age 21, to have no-cost access to opportunities that prepare them for their individual pursuit of passion, purpose, and economic mobility.
Students are encouraged to attain at least one of the “Big Three”:
1. 12 college credits
2. An industry certification
3. Work-based learning experience
How NoCo HSP & Health Care Providers Can Support “The Big Three”
A major message from the presentation was that the NoCo HSP and regional health care providers have an important role in helping students achieve the Big Three.
Industry partners can contribute through:
• CTE Advisory Meetings
• Providing feedback related to:
• Industry-recognized credentials
• Curriculum and college credit
• Industry trends
• Technology
• Technical skills
• Essential skills
• Work-based learning opportunities
Friday, September 18 PSD/TSD Combined Advisory for Health Science:
• Friday, September 18th – 7:30am to 8:30am
• PSD Future Ready Event Center (215 E. Foothills Pkwy, Fort Collins)
• Email Kelsey Burger kburger@psdschools.org
•
Committee Updates
• Neurodivergent Advocacy Project -Taylor Weinmeister twein@naproject.org
• Professionals of Pediatrics – Melissa Brewster melissa.brewster@uchealth.org
o Contact Taylor and/or Melissa directly to get involved, or email nocohealthsector@gmail.com