Changing Lives in Southwest Colorado
Build Pagosa is launching careers and addressing our regions' skilled-labor shortage through trainings, credentials, internships, and job placements.
We’re building the pipeline
Where Build Pagosa started, where it stands now, and where we're going.
2017
Where it started. Local employers, the school district and working tradespeople kept naming the same problem from different directions, and began meeting about it together.
2021
From conversation to program. The first groups of students came through, the model was tested against real hiring needs, and the case for permanent space became apparent.
2025
Building the case. The Regional Workforce Center moves from an idea to a committed plan, with training capacity sized to what the region actually needs.
2027+
A pipeline that holds. Students move from classroom to credential to paycheck without leaving the region, and local employers hire from a pool they helped build.
Our Regional Workforce Center
A permanent home for training in Archuleta County, featuring classrooms, shop space and equipment for learners and local employers.
Learn more about our future
The numbers tell a clear story
The distance between the work available here and the people trained to do it is measurable. These are the figures that shape what we build, and who we build it for.
Learn more about our programs50%
In Southwest Colorado, more than half of rural high school graduates do not enroll in college directly after graduation.
42%
42% of Gen Z adults are entering the trades, and construction in Archuleta County has experienced 39% GDP growth since 2017. The demand is there.
250+
250+ jobs go unfilled in our region every year. Not because the work isn’t there, but because the training infrastructure isn’t.
6.8%
Credential holders earn 6.8% more in year one, but it's more than 60 miles to a training facility in our region today.
Rick Holt
The Regional Workforce Center is going to unlock the potential of our schools' CTE programs in a transformational way.
Superintendent, Archuleta School Dist. 50-Jt
Automotive workshop
US Senator John Hickenlooper
I spend a lot of time hearing about apprenticeship-type programs around the country. This is special, it really is.
Visiting the CTE facilities at Pagosa Springs High School, June 2024
Sean O'Donnell
CTE is as important for our community today as it ever has been, and we're excited to be working alongside the team at Build Pagosa to continue to strengthen our career pathways programs.
Retired Principal, Pagosa Springs High School
Welding class
Adam
The lift is now up and working, and I just cannot thank Build Pagosa enough for helping me solve a five-year problem. My program can now get back to providing a full automotive education, including undercar training.
Automotive Teacher, Pagosa Springs High School
Hannah
I started the beginning of junior year not knowing anything about cars. From the moment I set foot in that classroom, I knew it was my home. Achieving the foreman position marks the best opportunity I have ever received.
CTE Graduate
Students in the classroom
Kaylee
Pursuing a career in the skilled trades is about more than just a job for me. It's about building confidence, independence, and a future that I can be proud of.
CTE Graduate
Ethan
This experience has not only solidified my career aspirations but also equipped me with valuable skills that will undoubtedly serve me well in the future.
CTE Graduate, CDC Summer Work Program
Outdoor build day
Larry
Our summer interns have gone back to school, and the construction crew feels their absence.
Habitat for Humanity Volunteer
The gap we’re
working to close
Limited capacity
At the high school, wait lists exist for high-demand trades. Adults don't have access to training space.
Economic mobility
Wages don’t keep pace with the cost of living. Families struggle to build stability in our region.
Talent shortage
Local employers can’t find local, skilled employees. The work exists, but the workers don’t.
The solutions
we're implementing
More training space
Flexible spaces that create the ability to instruct more learners in modern facilities.
Real credentials
Industry-recognized certifications in high-demand sectors that lead directly to well-paying work.
Direct employment
Training that leads to paychecks, and real job placement opportunities, not just certificates.
Our programs
Six ways we put training within reach in Archuleta County - and the surronding region - from high school pathways to credentials adults can earn without leaving town.
Our proud sponsors
The employers, foundations and public partners supporting skilled-trades training across the region.
Help us build a better future
Your support goes toward training space, equipment and credentials for people who want to build a career without leaving the region.
USDA presents a $1 million check for the Regional Workforce Center
Federal funding agencies visited Pagosa Springs on July 29, and the USDA presented a ceremonial $1 million check for the new building.
Read moreJoin the Build Pagosa community
Build Pagosa runs on people showing up, employers offering placements, tradespeople teaching a session, neighbors giving what they can. Here are the easiest ways in.
Build Pagosa Facebook
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