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No college degree, no problem? Not so fast
States and companies have shed degree requirements for jobs, but evidence
of actually hiring those without a bachelor’s is scant
By Lawrence Lanahan, 2 December 2025
DENVER — On a bus headed downtown, Cherri McKinney opened a compact mirror and — even as the vehicle rattled and blinding morning sun filled the window — skillfully applied eyeliner.
McKinney is a licensed aesthetician. She went into bookkeeping after graduating from high school in 1992, then ran a waxing salon for years. Later she shifted into human resources at a homeless shelter. But stepping off the bus, she started her work day as a benefits and leave administrator for Colorado’s Department of Labor and Employment.
She wouldn’t have made it past some hiring managers.
“My background is kind of all over the place,” McKinney said. “You might have looked at my résumé and thought, ‘Wow, this girl doesn’t have a college education.’”
In fact, Colorado’s state government was looking for workers just like her. In 2022, Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order directing state agencies to embrace “skills-based hiring” — evaluating job seekers based on abilities rather than education level — and to open more positions to applicants without college diplomas. When McKinney interviewed with the state in the summer of 2024, she said, she was asked practical questions about topics like the Family Medical Leave Act, not about her academic background.
One of those boards — Pikes Peak Workforce Center in Colorado Springs — conducts workshops for local businesses on skills-based hiring and helps them write job descriptions that emphasize skills. When a company registers for a job fair, said CEO Traci Marques, the center asks both what positions are open and which skills are needed for them.
The center also teaches job seekers to identify their skills and show employers how they apply in different fields. A recent high school graduate who served on student council, Marques said, might discuss what that role taught them about time management, conflict resolution and event planning.
The goal is for skills to become the lingua franca between employers and job seekers. “It’s really that matchmaking where we fit in,” Marques said.
Why “Soft Skills” Are Driving Hiring Success and Workforce Performance
By Becca Tonn – 1 December 2025
What would you think if one morning you hear a supervisor chastising another manager’s direct report in public? (true story). Unfortunately, this type of breakdown in professionalism is far too common.
If you’re struggling to hire and retain talent with a modicum of common sense — and a smattering of problem-solving, conflict management and personable communication — something is clearly lacking. In other words, essential skills — often called “soft skills” (are anything but soft) — they’re absolutely necessary.
Across industries, employers report the same challenges. While hiring for essential skills holds significant workforce implications, perhaps smaller businesses aren’t yet aware of the benefits.
Colorado job vacancies down slightly in Q3, reflecting national trends
By Meghan Glova, 29 November 2025
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — A new report from the Colorado Chamber Foundation and Aspen Technology Labs shows Colorado’s job market is holding steady, even as some regions see sharper shifts in job vacancies.
Job vacancies are down less than 1%, but experts say the decline is actually a sign of stability.
The Pikes Peak Workforce Center is seeing similar job availability.
“Registered nurses, truck drivers, someone with a CDL A or B license.” Marques said. “We also look at computers and software engineer-type jobs, along with retail and hospitality jobs are what’s really available right now.”
Marques advises job seekers to focus on their skill sets in the application process.
“Problem solving, negotiation skills, what are the skills that you have and how do you transfer that into your next job,” Marques said.
Pikes Peak Workforce Center Executive Director and CEO Traci Marques says job vacancies are about one-to-one in our region — one job opening for every one person looking for a job.
“What we’re seeing in the difference of the people that are looking for current jobs is the skill sets that they need to be able to apply for those jobs,” Marques said.
“The jobs that are available may not be the exact skill sets the person needs that wants to apply for those jobs.”
Pikes Peak Workforce Center hosting ‘Community & Veterans Job Fair’
By James Gavato, 31 October 2025
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) – The Pikes Peak Workforce Center (PPFWC) is hosting the ‘Community & Veterans Job Fair’ on Wednesday at the Colorado Springs Event Center.
The event center is located on Palmer Park Boulevard.
The job fair is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Starting at 10 a.m., it will be open to the following:
- general public
- transitioning military
- Guard or Reserve personnel
- veterans and their families
The fair aims to offer civilian and military job seekers an opportunity to connect with numerous employers in one location.
Pikes Peak Workforce to host job fair
By Breeanna Jent, 31 October 2025
The Pikes Peak Workforce Center is hosting a job fair for military veterans and the general public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday at the Colorado Springs Event Center, 3960 Palmer Park Blvd.
Those leaving the military, Guard or Reserve personnel, veterans and their family members, and the general public can meet with potential employers in one location.
More than 100 employers who are hiring for open positions will participate. They represent industries such as construction, cybersecurity, education, health care, law enforcement, sales, staffing, transportation and several others.
“These recruiters and hiring managers are eager to connect with job seekers, and they have open positions ready to fill. We encourage members of our community to take advantage of this opportunity, whether they’re looking to start a new job or explore a career change,” Pikes Peak Workforce Center spokeswoman Becca Tonn said in a news release.
A recruiter talks with job seeker Nathan Zaborski at a 2017 job fair hosted by the Pikes Peak Workforce Center. The workforce center is hosting its annual job fair for military veterans and the general public on Nov. 5, 2025.
Can Learning and Employment Records (LERs) Strengthen Talent Development in Colorado Companies?
By Becca Tonn – 6 October 2025
Unless you’ve been hanging out in a desert, burying your proverbial head beneath the shifting, arid sand, you’ve likely heard about LERs — Learning and Employment Records.
Not only have businesses begun adopting them, but an entire cottage industry has sprung up to support companies as we, collectively, transition to a skills-based economy and to a digital method of talent attraction and retention.
What exactly is an LER?
“LERs are digital records of an individual’s formal and informal learning and employment that better represent learners with diverse experiences in the job market,” according to Education Design Lab.
(Think along the lines of Electronic Medical Records. If someone gets sick while traveling, medical providers still have access to information about their allergies, current medications, etc.)
Often called digital wallets, LERs are portable for opportunity seekers (aka, job seekers) and businesses looking to hire talent. It’s a repository of work experience, life skills and education, readily available at your fingertips.
“LERs have been attributed to more precise hiring and better candidate matching — not to mention the human-power they save leadership teams.”
DOL reports jobless claims drop, but local owners say hiring is still tough
By Peter Choi, 25 September 2025
Improving education to workforce pipeline
By Carolynn Felling – 24 September 2025
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Educators and business leaders in Southern Colorado are collaborating to enhance the school-to-career pipeline, addressing staffing shortages in critical fields.
The meeting, held at Vista Ridge High School in Colorado Springs, brought together industry leaders and educators from 15 school districts to develop strategies for preparing students for future careers.
“We’re really preparing students to be the best individuals as we’re preparing them to be graduates within our community and productive citizens,” said Emily Sherwood, a post-secondary workforce specialist.
The Pikes Peak Workforce Center is actively involved in creating pathways for students to explore their career interests early on, helping them prepare for the workforce.
Is AI Leaving your Business in the Dust?
By Becca Tonn – 8 August 2025
Are you burying your head in the proverbial sand — ignoring AI, hoping it will go away?
Spoiler alert: that won’t end well. Much like the internet and mobile phones, AI is here to stay, and the sooner you adopt it, the better your business’ chance of surviving.
Many small business owners are nervous about AI or downright terrified of it, but AI has been around, quietly running machines and computers in early-adopter sectors such as academia, government/military, computing/electronics, and linguistics since the 1950s. In fact, the term was first coined in 1956 at the Dartmouth Conference.
But it has been the forefront of media only during the last couple of years, as generative AI became widely accessible to billions of people.
Last year, in “State of AI in the Enterprise,” Deloitte reported that 83% of adoptees say AI already delivers moderate to substantial benefits in revenue growth. And Salesforce statistics showed that 68% of marketers say AI boosts sales.
Workforce Wisdom: How Seasoned Employees Boost Your Bottom Line
By Becca Tonn – 3 July 2025
By 2030, one in five Coloradans will be over age 65. So why are so few businesses tapping into this burgeoning talent pool?
Replacing your older workforce with younger—let’s-be-honest—lesser-paid people might not benefit your bottom line the way you think it will. If your company suffers from lack of talent, here are other options to consider.
The Case for Experience
First, a little praise for the seasoned worker. They bring expertise, wisdom, and patience to the table and the boardroom. And when so many businesses are bemoaning the shortage of workers, this option seems rather obvious.
“For most people, raw mental horsepower declines after the age of 30, but knowledge and expertise — the main predictors of job performance — keep increasing even beyond the age of 80,” wrote Josh Bersin and Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic in Harvard Business Review.
Mentorship: The Overlooked ROI
In addition, if a business replaces all its experienced workers with greenhorns, the result could be disastrous. There needs to be a long period of knowledge transfer.
Not only do seniors contribute to a positive culture and innovation in the workforce, but they also bring diverse perspectives, a wealth of experience, and one of the top 10 most in-demand essential skills—excellent problem-solving, according to Forbes.com.
Older workers maintain lower turnover rates and enhance organizational performance. For example, by being flexible and accommodating its senior workers, BMW was able to dramatically improve productivity, according to Deloitte. Talk about improving your bottom line!
Pilot program gives high school students an up-close look at health care careers
By O’Dell Isaac – 2 July 2025
More than 25 Colorado Springs-area high school students recently completed a pilot program designed to give them an up-close look at the broad spectrum of career opportunities available in the field of health care.
Healthcare Summer Camp, a joint initiative spearheaded by the Pikes Peak Workforce Center and Pikes Peak State College’s health sciences division, is a four-day interactive crash course in a range of health care disciplines, including surgical technology, dental work, physical therapy, blood drawing and nursing.
Students from Harrison District 2, Colorado Springs District 11 and Manitou Springs District 14 with an interest in a health care career spent the week at the PPSC Rampart campus, getting hands-on training at the school’s Center for Healthcare and Simulation.
Regional Talent Summit Addresses Pikes Peak Workforce Needs
13 June 2025 – OEDIT – Today, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) along with the Pikes Peak Workforce Center and Southern Colorado Economic Development District (SCEDD) hosted a Regional Talent Summit at Pikes Peak State College to convene industry and community leaders, discuss much needed career pathway solutions and begin developing tactical workforce plans to ensure that Colorado workers develop the skills employers need.
Need help getting a job? Pikes Peak Workforce Center can help
By Erin Bowling – 23 April 2025
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — According to a survey done by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, the number of unemployed individuals in the state increased by 1,200 from February to March.
If you are struggling to find a job right now, you are not alone. FOX21 News visited the Pikes Peak Workforce Center to learn some tips, tricks, and common mistakes for job searching.
“We cover El Paso and Teller Counties. We help businesses find the talent that they need, and job seekers find employment and career pathways,” said Traci Marques, the Pikes Peak Workforce Center Executive Director and CEO.
The workforce center says sending the exact same resume to many companies could hurt your chances of landing an interview. The center added that it’s really important to tailor both your resume and cover letter to each job that you apply for. For example, be sure to include any skills you have that are listed on the job posting.
Unlocking Gen Z’s Workforce Potential
By Becca Tonn – 18 March 2025
Why Young Adults Are Key to Your Talent Strategy
Every Help Wanted sign in a window or online job posting bears testament to the ongoing challenges of hiring and retention. However, businesses might be overlooking a promising talent pool that’s hiding in plain sight.
Many adults remember their first real job with nostalgia, whether they worked in fast food, as a camp counselor or answering phones for a local business. Likely it was their first foray into the exciting and intimidating world of adulthood. What better way to see what business is all about, learn “soft” skills, and augment one’s résumé?
In recent years, first jobs for young adults (ages 16-24) are likely to be barista, carwash attendant, dog groomer, or office assistant, but the same principles apply – each experience helps boost skills and confidence.
The Soft Skills Gap: A Challenge for Gen Z
At the start of the pandemic, young adult labor force participation plummeted. While it’s starting to recover, those intervening years could affect their career trajectories for decades to come.
Although they are digital natives and quite savvy with computers and technology, Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) lacks essential/soft skills. They skipped a crucial period of social and emotional development due to shutdowns, social distancing, and remote learning and/or work, according to Newport Institute.
Having missed out on mentorship from seasoned professionals during formative years, many Gen Z adults feel unprepared for workplace expectations, such as effective communication, conflict management, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence.
Not that Generation Z is naïve; on the contrary, they’re fully aware of their challenges, and more than half believe that traditional education hasn’t adequately prepared them to join the labor force, according to The Workforce Institute.
How Employers Can Benefit from Hiring Young Adults
We know employers continue to struggle with attracting and hiring talent. Even though many Baby Boomers are retiring, there are other talent pools available – and, you guessed it, young adults are an option to consider.
According to Headspace.org, young adults bring enthusiasm and diverse perspectives that enhance your workplace culture. This can complement the experience of seasoned employees, creating a dynamic work environment.
They are flexible and learn quickly – any training you provide them can benefit your company immediately and help create loyalty. Plus, their strong technology skills can help modernize and streamline workplace processes.
In addition, hiring Gen Z is a smart investment, as they are excited to gain experience, grow, and contribute to your company’s success.
Pikes Peak Workforce Center offers resources for laid off federal workers
El Paso County, Colo, 26 February 2025 (KOAA) – The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) says roughly 57,000 federal workers are in Colorado. The department is guiding them to local workforce centers if they need help.
Unlocking Potential: Hiring Justice-Involved Individuals can Transform Southern Colorado Businesses
By Becca Tonn – 3 February 2025
We are fortunate in Southern Colorado to have weathered the economic downturn far better than many regions nationally. Unemployment is still low, hovering around 4 percent, while companies are thriving. In fact, many businesses face hiring and retention challenges rather than imminent closure.
But this flip side of the proverbial economic coin presents greater challenges than one might initially anticipate. Numerous reports show the costs of high turnover or operating with minimal staff equates to lost productivity and lowered employee morale.
Adding to that dilemma, Gallup reports that more than half of currently employed workers are actively seeking a new job.
Not to mention that replacement of leaders and managers costs nearly 200 percent of their salary, while for technical roles or frontline staff, that proportion is 80 percent and 40 percent, respectively.
With nearly 8.1 million job openings (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, published January 7, 2025) in the U.S., and only 5.5 million people not in the labor force who want to work, we are at an impasse.
What’s a business owner to do?
Let’s start by considering alternative talent pools in our region, such as justice-involved individuals – anyone who has interacted with the criminal justice system as a defendant. Their unemployment rate hovers at 60 percent or higher, and many of them are desperate to find jobs and prove their worth. While other staff may have an eye on the exit door, “second chance” employees often prove to be very loyal and hardworking.
According to research from SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), 85 percent of Human Resource leaders report that second chance hires perform as well as or better than employees without criminal records.
Research has also shown that justice-involved individuals often demonstrate higher retention rates and lower turnover, which equates to significant cost savings for employers. Simply stated, “fair chance” employees tend to be very grateful to have a job and committed to the company that hired them.
Help with the hurdles
If the thought of this intimidates you as an employer, you’re not alone. But the federal government offers safety nets for businesses willing to take a chance on a fair chance employee.
- WOTC (Work Opportunity Tax Credit) – Federal tax credit available to employers who invest in “American job seekers who have consistently faced barriers to employment”
- Federal program bonds – Federal bonds that protect employer against losses caused by the fraudulent or dishonest acts of the bonded employee. Employers receive these bonds free-of-charge as an incentive to hire these applicants. (Each bond has a $5,000 limit with $0 deductible & covers the first six months of a selected individual’s employment.)
Here at the Pikes Peak Workforce Center, our Business Relations team can answer your questions about having an honest and transparent conversation during the hiring process, as well as offer guidance for onboarding, and resources to provide training.
Pikes Peak Workforce Center offering $220,000 in training funds to El Paso, Teller County businesses
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo, 8 January 2025 (KRDO) – The Pikes Peak Workforce Center (PPWC) said it has $220,000 available in program funds to help businesses in El Paso and Teller Counties train their current employees and build a skilled workforce, with the aim of preventing layoffs.
PPWC said preference will be given to in-demand industries such as health care, information technology, manufacturing, hospitality and tourism – and to companies whose training leads to an expansion of duties for employees.
El Paso, Teller county businesses can apply for federal workforce funding
By Breeanna Jent – 8 January 2025
Hundreds of thousands of dollars are up for grabs to help build an even more skilled workforce in El Paso and Teller counties.
The Pikes Peak Workforce Center announced this week it has $220,000 available in federal economic development funds to award to companies across the region who want to increase their staff’s workforce expertise and prevent layoffs.
The Pikes Peak Workforce Center has hundreds of thousands of dollars available in federal Economic Development Funds to award to companies across El Paso and Teller counties who want to increase their staff’s workforce expertise and prevent layoffs.
PPWFC offers businesses $220,000 for employee training
By Dara Korn – 7 January 2025
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Pikes Peak Workforce Center (PPWFC) has $220,000 available in program funds to help businesses train employees and increase their skills in an effort to prevent layoffs.
According to PPWFC, preference will be given to in-demand industries during the selection process, such as health care, information technology (IT), manufacturing, cybersecurity, hospitality, and tourism, as well as to companies whose training leads to expansion of duties for employees.
“This program presents wonderful opportunities for companies in both El Paso and Teller counties,” said Pikes Peak Workforce Center’s Communications & PR Manager Becca Tonn. “We hope a diverse array of businesses and nonprofits will apply for this funding, which is aimed at enhancing their economic sustainability through employee training and skill development.”
