Workforce Determinants of Student Success

CDHE's new Career Connected Campus designation falls under the Workforce Determinants of Student Success. As part of the Workforce Determinants of Student Success initiative, WDSS builds on the existing Social Determinants of Student Success work and aims to emphasize career preparation. To recognize these efforts, the department will now designate participating institutions as Career Connected Campuses. The designation recognizes Colorado’s institutions of higher education that set a high standard for how their campus engages in practices that prepare students for employment commensurate with their postsecondary credential.  

A career-connected college or university is an educational institution that prioritizes practical skills, professional development and career readiness alongside academic learning and is committed to empowering students with the knowledge, skills and resources needed to succeed in their chosen careers and make meaningful contributions to their respective industries.

CDHE’s Career Connected Campus Designation is based on themes found in research that are shown to positively influence postsecondary learners’ careers. Institutions should approach career connected learning with equity at the forefront as research shows that students of color and women benefit from career connected learning experiences. For the following checklist, CDHE requires institutions to center equity in their career connected learning work and share promising practices that enable all students to benefit from career connected learning.

Applications reopen Summer 2025. Contact: Dr. Gillian McKnight-Tutein (Dr. G), Senior Educational Equity Officer
Email: gillian.mcknighttutein@dhe.state.co.us

Click here for Current Career Connected Campuses

What it Takes to Become a Career Connected Campus

Career Connected Measure Equity Applied Throughout	Impactful Practice Measures
IHE Values Career Connected Learning,  Workforce Development, and Alumni Career Outcomes	Impactful Practice Measures President supports career connected learning and workforce development efforts through strategic plans IHE has a senior leadership position focused on career connected learning and support IHE provides career support to alumni, at least for a duration of time that ensures alumni secure work commensurate with their academic credential President prioritizes general fund budgets for career connected learning and IHE financially supports career connected learning and workforce development IHE expresses in their mission, vision and/or strategic plan their commitment to career connected learning, workforce development and alumni career outcomes IHE has designated spaces (includes virtual, on and off site and flexible space) to facilitate career services and/or career connected learning, including online and in person leaders IHE provides career support to all students and alumni (may be term limited)
Academic Experiences are Career Connected	Impactful Practice Measures 75% or more of academic programs (CTE included) have at least one, required work-based learning component. Ideally, required work-based learning experiences are at “Learning Through Work” (i.e., internships, clinicals, pre-apprenticeships) level of Colorado’s Work Based Learning Continuum IHE supports and recognizes the faculty who integrate required career-connected opportunities and work-based learning into their curriculum IHE publicizes courses/programs that include a work-based learning experience on their marketing, website or course catalog Course syllabi include stated work and essential skills gained in course Students gain skills through curricular experiences, and at the end, can express and demonstrate skills gained Students are encouraged to gain industry recognized credentials as part of their academic program In addition to other work-based learning opportunities, IHE has developed a registered apprenticeship IHE has ratio of paid internships is greater than unpaid internships Academic Advising includes connection to career navigation support IHE has made effort to create crosswalks for academic course competencies to career experiences and awards academic credit where appropriate
Co-curricular Experiences are Career Connected	Impactful Practice Measures IHE has built work study and campus employment into a high impact practice that includes mentorship, essential skills evaluations/feedback IHE supports students to be able to gain and express skills gained through co-curricular experiences Career Services are proactive in regard to serving students’ career needs based on identities (needs and future aspirations) and empowers students to have a voice to recognize and address career decisions and possible adverse situations in the workplace
IHE can demonstrate substantial Industry, Community, and Regional Partnerships	Impactful Practice Measures IHE can describe how feedback from employer and industry partners, and/or advisory boards has impacted curriculum to remain relevant IHE is represented at regional, relevant sector partnerships IHE works with employers to create opportunities to upskill and reskill employers’ incumbent workers Regional employers pay for incumbent workers to attend school at IHE IHE celebrates employers who provide paid opportunities, covers work-related expenses, and includes student employee in culture of company
Data Informed Practices	Impactful Practice Measures IHE collects and analyzes post graduate career outcomes and outcome data. Data is quantitative, qualitative and is disaggregated, accessible and shared with potential and current learners Identifies and remedies inequities in career services utilization and post-graduate outcomes IHE utilizes post-graduate outcome and success data to make strategic decisions about what their academic programs IHE has a process to reach out to alumni who are underemployed following graduation Career data is utilized to make decisions at IHE Students have opportunities to interact with and learn from IHE alumni Alumni return to IHE to recruit students for work based learning and full-time positions IHE utilizes and shares Colorado’s Talent Pipeline Report with campus community