About Colorado: San Luis Valley Region
Comprised of Saguache, Alamosa, Costilla, Conejos, Rio Grande and Mineral counties, the San Luis Valley is located at the headwaters of the Rio Grande River and is the largest alpine valley in the world. Home of the oldest town and oldest water right in Colorado, the Valley was settled by families from northern New Mexico in the 1850s. Agriculture is a significant part of the region's economy, as is Adams State College. The Valley hosts the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, which contains the tallest sand dunes in North America, as well as one of the most diversified solar industries in Colorado.
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. There is one located in Alamosa, and in Monte Vista. 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 San Luis Valley hosts three well-established institutions. Adams State College and Trinidad State College offer two- and four-year degree programs in technical and academic fields that can make you more competitive in today's economy. Both institutions offer night classes and flexible schedules, as well as staff to help determine whether you are eligible for financial aid.
And Western State College, located in Gunnison, offers many degrees in the liberal arts and sciences, as well as in professional areas such as business, accounting, recreation and teacher education.
Still need help? Feel free to contact my San Luis Valley office: 719-589-2101
Regional News
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2013 Colorado Capital Conference Seeks Participants
Friday, February 15, 2013 -
Udall, Senators Introduce Bill to Reauthorize Critical Drought Information Program
Friday, February 15, 2013Bipartisan Group Works to Protect Farmers, Ranchers -
Udall Joins Bipartisan Effort to Strengthen, Reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund
Thursday, February 14, 2013Fund Helps Federal, State Governments Encourage Land Conservation, Improve Access to Federal Lands -
Udall Reintroduces San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act to Preserve Job-Creating Public Lands in Southwest Colorado
Thursday, February 14, 2013Legislation Preserves Existing Uses While Ensuring 61,000 Acres Are Protected for Future Generations
Regional Blog
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2013 Colorado Capital Conference
Wednesday, February 13, 2013The upcoming Colorado Capital Conference in Washington, D.C. is an opportunity for you and others from across Colorado to meet and engage with national decision makers and opinion leaders in our nation's capital. Want to attend? You can apply online, applications are due March 18.
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Reauthorize VAWA Now
Wednesday, February 6, 2013For the past 19 years, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has saved lives and strengthened families throughout Colorado and the United States by changing the way our society thinks about - and responds to - domestic violence. But one of the strongest tools we have to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assaults and stalking has languished without reauthorization.
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Celebrating Black History Month 2013
Friday, February 1, 2013For more than 150 years, leaders from President Abraham Lincoln to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. have challenged us to keep faith with the spirit that enlivens our Constitution. Today we continue the work of these two dynamic men who courageously led the charge – through national division and civil strife – in pursuing a more perfect union where all Americans are truly free and have equal access to opportunity.
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Paycheck Fairness
Tuesday, January 29, 2013Four years ago today, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law, ensuring a fair day in court for victims of gender-based pay discrimination. This law was a victory for women everywhere in the continuing fight for equal pay for equal work. However, our fight is far from over: It has been 50 years since the passage of the Equal Pay Act, yet Colorado women still make on average 79 cents to every dollar men make.