Interdisciplinary teams awarded Workforce Development Seed Grants
The University of Colorado Boulder today announced the awardees of the 2025 Workforce Development Seed Grant Program, a campuswide initiative aimed at fostering innovative approaches to workforce development in Colorado and beyond.听
These grants reflect the university鈥檚 deep commitment to preparing CU Boulder students鈥攁nd learners across the region鈥攆or meaningful, future-ready careers. By supporting interdisciplinary teams working on solutions to critical workforce challenges, the program enhances student access to hands-on learning, industry exposure and career-aligned opportunities, while strengthening the state鈥檚 talent pipeline.听
The Workforce Development Seed Grant Program provides strategic funding to support early-stage, high-potential initiatives that expand the university鈥檚 impact on workforce readiness. These grants empower teams to design forward-thinking training programs, pilot scalable workforce solutions, and build deep collaborations with industry partners. In doing so, they help bridge the gap between academic learning and the evolving needs of employers鈥攅nsuring CU Boulder students are not only equipped with cutting-edge skills but also connected to real-world pathways that support their long-term success and the university鈥檚 leadership in innovation.
This year鈥檚 awardees were selected based on their projects鈥 potential for high impact, scalability and the strength of their collaborations and partnerships. The projects reflect a shared commitment to building a highly skilled, adaptable workforce prepared to meet the challenges of the future.
鈥淚nvesting in innovative workforce development initiatives is essential to creating pathways for CU Boulder students and all Coloradans to succeed in the evolving job market while ensuring our state鈥檚 economic resilience,鈥 said Chris Gustavson, CU Boulder鈥檚 director of Workforce Development. 鈥淭hese projects reflect the bold thinking and interdisciplinary collaboration needed to drive meaningful, lasting change.鈥
Please visit the Workforce Development Hub to learn more about how it is helping shape the future of work.
听听Awarded projects
Campus鈥揑ndustry Curriculum Collaboration to Build Colorado鈥檚 Engineering Workforce
Led by Nick Stites, director of the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, this project aims to address the growing engineering talent gap in Colorado by embedding hands-on, alumni-informed curricula in engineering courses. The initiative will engage 500+ students in the 2025鈥26 academic year through media鈥憆ich, sociotechnical case studies鈥攄eveloped with faculty, alumni and industry partners鈥攖hat lay the foundation for future workforce-relevant microcredentials. The authentic curricula empower students to practice multifaceted problem鈥憇olving, explore professional pathways and build confidence for industry transitions.
Expanding Access to Environmental Data Science Education for Underrepresented Students
Led by Nathan Quarderer of Earth Lab and the Environmental Data Science Innovation and Inclusion Lab (ESIIL) of CIRES, this project team will partner with Tribal Colleges and Universities and two-year colleges to deliver scalable, culturally relevant training in Python, geospatial analysis and data visualization. The program includes virtual workshops, in-person conferences and project-based learning to prepare students for careers in the data-driven environmental sciences.
Redesigning Care: Collaborative Problem-Solving for Helping Professionals
Led by Don Grant of Sociology, this initiative trains current and aspiring care workers in human-centered design thinking. The program includes team-based competitions, industry-recognized micro-credentials and partnerships with labor unions like SEIU and AFL-CIO to strengthen collaborative problem-solving skills in the care sector.