Back to Work Colorado: Recent Episodes
Emily Griffith Foundation
Emily Griffith Technical College (EGTC) is a career-training institute with more than 20 certificate programs in downtown Denver and a dozen Registered Apprenticeship programs throughout the State of Colorado. As Colorado recovers from the economic hardships of the pandemic, Emily Griffith offers short-term workforce programs in high-demand, high-wage industries.
With support from Emily Griffith Foundation, EGTC received a three-year, $850,000 Back to Work grant from the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative last Fall. In this six-episode podcast series, you will hear from workforce development experts, industry professionals, and students about how this incredible grant opportunity through the Colorado Department of Higher Education is getting Coloradoans back to work, and helping the state reach its credential attainment goal while recovering from the pandemic.
Since the inception of Emily Griffith Technical College 106 years ago, apprenticeships have been a cornerstone of the institute’s mission, which is building Colorado’s workforce. The idea is to earn while you learn. Apprenticeships offer on-the-job training and course work for those looking to gain skills while getting paid. Emily Griffith has more than a dozen Registered Apprenticeship Programs in various industries, including plumbing. In this episode of Back to Work Colorado, we talk to an Emily Griffith plumbing apprenticeship graduate who is now an apprenticeship instructor.
Barbering students at Emily Griffith Technical College are finding success in various ways, both in and out of classes. Graduates are opening their own barbershops and salons. The course falls under the college of Creative Arts and Design, which also offers certificates in cosmetology, esthetician, massage, culinary arts, and multimedia and video production. In this podcast you’ll hear about the successes of barbering courses and how the Back to Work grant helped push one student to the finish line.
A nursing shortage in the nation prompted hospitals to bring Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) back into their workforce. It’s been roughly 20 years since they’ve taken advantage of LPNs. LPN students from Emily Griffith Technical College, who used to mainly train and work at long-term care facilities, now have broader prospects. In this Episode of Back to Work Colorado, our podcast host Noelle Riley highlights how the shift has helped Emily Griffith students.
The College of Trades, Industry, and Professional Studies boasts programs like Computer Networking, Welding, and Water Quality Management, to name a few. It also has a robust Automotive Services program, from which student Tiffany Smith just received her automotive certificate. Several factors helped her succeed. One, was her ability to finish school with a Back to Work scholarship that the Emily Griffith Foundation secured for students, and she’s already started her own business.
Emily Griffith Technical College has one of the largest English Language programs in Colorado. It serves refugees and immigrants who had to either flee their country or decided to come to the United States to start a better life. Episode 2 of the COSI Back to Work podcast highlights how Back to Work money helped an African man finish his HVAC degree at the College. He fled Tanzania in East Africa due to political differences, leaving his wife and six kids behind. In this episode, we outline not only his success, but also the triumphs the College’s English Language programs and Career Services have with New Americans.
COSI experts explain how the Back to Work grant helps students reignite their careers, helping feed more employees into the Colorado workforce. Hear from Emily Griffith Technical College’s Tisha Chapman, the Colorado Department of Higher Education’s COSI Director Dr. Cynthia Armendariz, and CEO of the Denver Scholarship Foundation Nate Cadena.