STACKABLE CREDENTIALS BILL PASSES HOUSE

Legislation invests $2.6 million of federal pandemic relief toward creating education to workforce pathways

DENVER, CO – The House passed a bill today to elevate student-to-career pathways and boost Colorado’s workforce. SB22-192, sponsored by Majority Leader Esgar, expands stackable credential pathways so students have more educational flexibility.

“Whether you’re headed back to school or switching careers entirely, stackable credentials offer much needed career flexibility for Coloradans,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “Our bill makes it easier for students seeking high-demand careers to have their on-the-job training and previous experience count toward degrees and professional credentials as they upskill and reskill. Sometimes life gets in the way of your educational plans, and alongside postsecondary institutions and workforce development organizations, we’re making career pathways more efficient and flexible so Coloradans can enter and re-enter the workforce prepared.”

Stackable Credentials: SB22-192, sponsored by Majority Leader Daneya Esgar and Marc Catlin passed the House by a vote of 53 to 12. This bill would expand stackable credential pathways to help Coloradans seeking to further their education or switch careers get the training and credentials they need to land jobs in high-demand industries. This legislation was developed based on recommendations by the state’s Student Success and Workforce Revitalization Task Force, established by HB21-1330. This bill aims to make it easier for students to obtain and receive credit for critical training and experience prioritized by Colorado employers.

Stackable credentials are useful because they take less time to obtain than a full degree, while still demonstrating skills or competencies that employers are looking for.