About Colorado: West Slope Region
The Western Slope region consists of eight Colorado counties west of the Continental Divide: Garfield, Mesa, Delta, Montrose, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Ouray and San Miguel. Some of Mother Nature's finest work - alpine meadows, canyons, plateaus and high desert - abound on the Western Slope, providing easy access to activities like skiing, mountain biking, rafting, rock climbing and hunting. The area's attractions include the Grand Mesa National Scenic and Historic Byway, the Colorado National Monument, the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park and the magnificent Colorado River. Grand Junction, the population hub of Western Colorado, is home to nearly 60,000 people. It sits in the Grand Valley near the Colorado River.
Workforce Training and Educational Resources
The organizations and resources listed below could help you return to the job market or gain new skills to make you more qualified for jobs in the 21st century economy.
Newly Unemployed
Register with the Colorado Workforce Center closest to you. In the Western Slope region, you will find Workforce Centers in the following communities:
Workforce Centers can direct you to employment and job training opportunities in the area.
Job Training
If you need any additional job training or if you are a veteran, Workforce Center staff will connect you with Rocky Mountain Service, Employment, & Redevelopment, or RMSER. RMSER staff will work with you to develop job training tailored to your unique skills and previous work experience. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment also offers a broad array of services and resources for job seekers.
Education
For opportunities to improve your education, the Western Slope hosts several well-established institutions:
- Colorado Mountain College, with 11 locations, offers two-year academic programs guaranteed to transfer to all four-year colleges and universities in Colorado. It offers career and technical programs, teaching job skills that can take you right into the workplace.
- Colorado Mesa University (formerly Mesa State College), provides educational opportunities and tools that help students succeed in today's complex and interconnected world. Its focus is on providing quality academic programs, built on a strong liberal arts core that support students' interests and regional employment needs, as well as technical programs that respond to vocational workforce demands.
- The main campus is located in the heart of Grand Junction.
- The Tilman M. Bishop Campus is the result of a partnership of the university, Mesa County Valley School District 51 and area businesses, and is the main site of the university's two-year division, the Western Colorado Community College Programs at the Bishop Campus serve the technical education needs of both college and area high school students.
- The Montrose Campus of Colorado Mesa University provides access to a variety of two- and four-year degree programs in a scenic, smaller community campus setting.
- Colorado Northwestern Community College has campuses in Rangely and Craig, and Service Centers in Meeker, Hayden, Oak Creek's South Routt Center, and through the San Miguel Partnership in Telluride. CNCC offers and offers educational programs that respond to evolvingworkforce environments, including two-year general education transfer degrees. It also offers Associate of General Studies (AGS) - Emphasis Degrees that are tailored for transfer to specific four-year institutions.
- Colorado Christian University, a private university with a campus located in Grand Junction, offers undergraduate programs for students right out of high school or transferring from another college. For adults with work or prior college experience, it offers programs directed at completing a degree, certificate, or licensing program through CCU's College of Adult and Graduate Studies. For individuals who have already completed a bachelor's degree, the university offers graduate degrees through its College of Adult and Graduate Studies. The College of Adult and Graduate Studies at Colorado Christian University offers associate's, bachelor's and master's degree programs specifically designed to meet the needs of adult learners, with many classes available in the evenings and/or on weekends, as well as online.
Still need help? Feel free to contact my Western Slope regional office in Grand Junction: 970-245-9553
Regional News
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Udall Questions House Lawmakers' Failure to Take Up Watershed-Relief Funding
Wednesday, January 2, 2013Legislation Would Have Helped Colorado Communities Confront Lasting Effects of 2012 Wildfires -
Udall Heralds Successful Effort to Extend Wind Production Tax Credit
Wednesday, January 2, 2013Credit Supports Colorado Workers, Pursuit of True Energy Security -
Udall Welcomes Bipartisan Agreement to Protect Middle Class, Pledges to Pursue Long-Term Fiscal Solution in 2013
Tuesday, January 1, 2013Deal Includes Extension of Wind Production Tax Credit, Which Udall Championed -
Colorado Lawmakers Welcome Senate Passage of Bill to Boost Watershed Protection Funds
Friday, December 28, 2012If Passed by House, Bill Will Help Address Damage from Summer Wildfires
Regional Blog
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One Step Closer to Protecting Colorado Water, Remediating Our Mining Legacy
Wednesday, December 19, 2012Our great state - and much of Colorado's history - began with a mining boom. However, this heritage, literally the state's foundation, left behind 7,000 abandoned mine sites and the toxic runoff they often create. These sites, the legacy of past decades of irresponsible mining, today threaten the foundation of much of our outdoor economy and what makes our state great: our land and water.
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Live-Streamed Conversation with Energy Secretary Chu
Tuesday, December 18, 2012In an effort to keep this discussion going, I will be joining Energy Secretary Steven Chu on Wednesday for a live-streamed discussion about the wind PTC, renewable energy and our pursuit of an all-of-the-above energy strategy.
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Compromise isn't a dirty word
Wednesday, December 12, 2012Two weeks ago, small-business owner Lisa Goodbee, president of Goodbee & Associates in Centennial, and 14 other small-business owners met with President Obama in Washington, D.C. They asked him to continue working with Congress to reach a balanced deal that fixes our budget.
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Leading the way toward energy independence
Tuesday, December 4, 2012What do GPS, flat-screen televisions and the Internet have in common? Before each became commonly available consumer goods, they were developed by the military. Alternative fuels are on the cusp of similar cutting-edge development.