Regional Workforce Center
After many years of envisioning a facility to improve workforce training in our region, Build Pagosa is finalizing project plans. In January 2024, Build Pagosa (BP) hosted a full day ‘Design Charrette’ facilitated by the CSU Institute for the Built Environment which was attended by over 50 community stakeholders including industry and NGO leaders, local government, school administrators, students, and more. That event crystallized the need for additional CTE space to serve our community. We have partnered with the Archuleta School District on the plan for a new facility, adjacent to Pagosa Springs High School. As a volunteer-led nonprofit working on this goal since 2017, BP has raised over $2,300,000 (as of Dec. 2024) towards what will be our “Regional Workforce Center” (RWC).
Pagosa Springs High School CTE students will be the primary beneficiaries of the space during the school day, with significant expansion to their building trades, woodshop, health sciences, and other programs. The space has been designed to be flexible enough to respond to changing industry and student demand over time. Some CTE teachers are currently teaching across numerous classrooms by using a ‘cart’, and education leaders at the district agree that having dedicated space will result in improved learning outcomes for students.
Beyond PSHS students, adult learners will also utilize the space through partnership with the community college system, local hospital, electric utility, and other providers, with an emphasis on programs that lead to stackable credentials and increased wages. In addition to the teaching space, the RWC will amplify the impact of our community’s education, industry, and other partners by providing a singular space in our community for various programs to keep abreast of each others’ offering and find opportunities to collaborate and support each other.
The RWC will be built in phases, with Phase I inclusive of ~9,000 square feet of functional space, including dedicated facilities for building trades courses, in addition to flexible classroom space which can be used for other CTE and adult learning courses. Phase II of the project, which Build Pagosa intends to fundraise for alongside our partners, will expand this facility to include a large open space for exhibitions, job fairs, and delivering additional CTE curricula which require a larger area.
Build Pagosa expects to break ground on the RWC in early summer of 2025, with expected completion within 15-18 months. The total cost of the RWC project is expected to be approximately $4.8M with $1.7M already secured through in-kind contributions and $2.3M secured in grants, donations and fundraising events.
Making a Difference
About 290 students, or 60% of the PSHS population, will take 1 or more CTE courses in the 2024-25 academic year and there is a wait list each year due to space and budget constraints.
The summer internship program, in collaboration with PSCDC, has been a huge success! In 2022 it started with 23 interns, then in 2023 grew to 38 interns. In 2024, 67 young adults applied and 55 interns were placed with over 40 area employers. An additional 5 participated in 10 days of 10 hrs/day wildland firefighting training.Each year employers have hired available graduates directly from this internship program. It is a Win-Win!
