Arapahoe/Douglas Works! and DCSD Connect Students with Local Employers
Arapahoe/Douglas Works! joined forces with Douglas County School District (DCSD) to host the first-ever Legacy Campus Career & Hiring Fair on February 28, 2025. The event allowed hundreds of high school students to interact with representatives from 63 local employers, explore various career options, hone their job interview techniques, and even land jobs on-the-spot in some instances. Students enrolled in Career and Technical Education classes at Legacy Campus were able to attend and many DCSD seniors who aren’t currently taking CTE classes at Legacy Campus also took advantage of the chance to connect with potential employers one-on-one.
ADWDB Receives High Performing Board Designation
The Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) recognizes local workforce development boards as high performing when they meet a series of key performance indicators. The Arapahoe/Douglas Workforce Development Board (ADWDB) was awarded High Performing Board distinction and received the maximum point allotment for Program Year 2023.
National Disability Navigator Award
Congratulations Lia (Weiler) Gallagher, Disability Program Navigator at Arapahoe/Douglas Works!, for winning the Judy Emery “Genesis” Award. Lia was recognized for her leadership in navigating employment services for job seekers with disabilities at the June 11, 2024 National Navigator Exchange meeting hosted by the National Disability Institute. The award recognizes her passion, valuable community leadership, and innovation.
The award was named after Judy Emery who was a Project Manager at A/D Works! and the Colorado Urban Workforce Alliance (CUWA) Director. Judy served as the Lead for a Colorado ‘systems-change’ grant in 2000. Judy and her team piloted the establishment of a “Navigator” in workforce systems through this initiative. The model was expanded nationally in 2003. Judy’s vision and approach with workforce systems in alignment to strengthen the inclusion of people with disabilities in employment services was the genesis of a national phenomenon that continues in many workforce systems and states without federal grant support.
Lia “is the embodiment of Judy Emery’s spirit in this role” said Robin B.
Read more about Lia and other Colorado Navigators who were awarded ‘National Navigator Awards.’
Parents to Work Offers Support for Child Support
This year’s Parents to Work Accomplishment Ceremony was held on July 31, 2024. It is an evening of celebration to recognize the success of our participants! The event featured motivational guest speakers and awards.
Parents to Work is a partnership between Arapahoe County Child Support Services and Arapahoe/Douglas Works! that is designed to help individuals meet their obligations of child support while also being able to meet their day-to-day needs. Parents to Work offers employment, training, GED prep, and supportive services to both custodial and non-custodial parents with a child support case in Arapahoe County.
Over the last year, about 233 people utilized the Parents to Work Program and more than 5,000 services.
Andrea Barnum, Workforce Programs Manager, said “the program placed four customers in work-based learning experiences, assisted 13 customers in obtaining post-secondary training, graduated 31 fathers in the Fatherhood Program, and provided career navigation and exploration assistance that resulted in over 100 participants finding employment at an average wage of placement of $22.73 per hour.”
Read the full article from Colorado Community Media to learn more about the Parents to Work program.
September is Workforce Development Month
Governor Jared Polis has declared September Workforce Development Month. Each September, we celebrate Workforce Development Month to recognize, honor, and publicize the contributions of our nation’s workforce professionals. Workforce Development Month was created in 2005 by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP). It is a great opportunity to heighten public awareness, strengthen alliances, leverage resources, and increase the number of people who understand the vital role workforce development plays in our nation’s economy. Read the full press release and proclamation.
Arapahoe/Douglas Works! staff are instrumental in the community, creating essential links between businesses that are looking to recruit jobseekers and the available education, training, and support resources.
Follow A/D Works! on X or LinkedIn to stay tuned to see how we are working to support employers, workers, job seekers, and learners across Arapahoe/Douglas counties.
On September 12th, there will be an Open House at the Castle Rock Workforce Center on the ACC Sturm Campus. The event offers an opportunity to meet your local workforce center staff and learn more about available services. There will also be job seeker and business networking.
Check out our website for more events happening during Workforce Development Month.
Collaborating to Highlight Essential Services
On July 13, 2024, the Aurora Police Department hosted the Northwest Aurora Neighborhood Resource Fair. It was a day filled with free food, safety giveaways, community resources, and fun activities for youth. Arapahoe/Douglas Works! partnered to showcase the valuable resources offered by the workforce center. “The event was well attended, despite the July heat” said Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman.
Preparing Young Adults for a Successful Summer Job Search
Approximately 30 young adults attended Arapahoe/Douglas Works!’ 2024 Young Adult Summer Job Hunt Boot Camp the week of June 3rd. The boot camp aims to assist young adults who are ready to start working and may benefit from the intensive support provided by workforce center staff.
Feedback from last year’s inaugural boot camp led to updated workshop content, which was very impactful. Young adults attended a morning workshop from 10:00 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. and an afternoon session from 12:20 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Throughout the week, various topics were covered, including tough conversations, workplace etiquette, self-advocacy, professional appearance (both in-person and on social media), introduction to labor market information, career exploration tools, finding job openings, avoiding scams, resume building, workplace values, interviewing, job fair preparation, and budgeting.
We would like to express our gratitude to the community partners who contributed their resources, conducted workshops, and helped promote the event. Special thanks go to Stephanie Crookston from UC Health/Project SEARCH, Beth Matuszewich from Bellco Credit Union, and Katie Kothenbeutel from Arapahoe Libraries for their presentations on various topics. We would also like to thank Katie for bringing Chromebooks from the library to utilize for activities, arc Thrift Stores for providing vouchers to enable attendees to purchase interview outfits, and Becky and Ricardo from Aurora Public School’s School to Work Alliance Program (SWAP) for providing staff support and collaboration on summer employment programming for SWAP-participating students.
The boot camp concluded on Friday, June 7, 2024, with a Young Adult Summer Job Fair. There is a high demand from 14-18 year-olds for summer employment and volunteer opportunities to start building their experience and resumes. More than 80 young adults, including boot camp participants, attended the fair.
Quarterly Programs Career Fair a Huge Success
The quarterly Programs Career Fair, hosted by Arapahoe/Douglas Works!, took place on June 4, 2024. The fair was designed for job seekers in search of their next career. With twenty employers offering a range of opportunities, from entry level to experienced positions, the fair attracted over 155 enthusiastic attendees.
A/D Works! hosted Talent Pipeline Makeover Workshop
Arapahoe/Douglas Works! Workforce Center hosted a Talent Pipeline Makeover Workshop on April 23, 2024. Anthony Cherwinski from the Office of New Americans (ONA) was the keynote speaker. He advised employers on everything from establishing New American hiring initiatives to creating upskilling programs for multicultural teams. If you are interested in working with this talent pool, view ONA’s webinar series “Working with New Americans: From Recruiting to Upskilling.”
There was a panel discussion that focused on innovative strategies to recruit and hire diverse populations to harness new talent pools. The panel featured representatives from the Immigrant & Refugee Center of Northern Colorado, Blue Star Recycling, Latino Coalition, Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce, and CDLE Veteran Services.
Employers stated that the presentation and the panel were very informative and beneficial. Additionally, employers received resources to improve their workforce development opportunities. If you are interested in increasing your talent pipeline, contact a Business Development Representative at 303.636.1359 or fill out a request form.
New American Hiring Fairs
Arapahoe/Douglas Works! is dedicated to providing comprehensive support to New Americans as they navigate their career paths and integrate into their new communities.
On March 6, 2024, the Office of New Americans, Emily Griffith Technical College, and the Spring Institute held a job fair for New Americans. Sixten companies were present. More than 600 New American job seekers representing more than 26 countries of origin attended the event. Arapahoe/Douglas Works! and the City and County of Denver workforce centers supported the event with outreach and support staff. Interpreters and volunteers were onsite to help with the application processes.
More hiring fairs will be held in the coming months to support New Americans with work authorization in securing employment. Employers interested in attending future Office of New Americans’ events should complete the online employer interest form.
Arapahoe/Douglas Works! also participated in Arapahoe Libraries’ New Americans Career and Education Fair on April 9, 2024. English learners, new immigrants, and refugees who attended that event learned about jobs and education opportunities in our area.
Individuals interested in assistance with their job search can connect with a Career Services Advisor!