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.
These grants reflect the university’s deep commitment to preparing CU Boulder students—and learners across the region—for 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’s talent pipeline.
The Workforce Development Seed Grant Program provides strategic funding to support early-stage, high-potential initiatives that expand the university’s 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—ensuring 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’s leadership in innovation.
This year’s awardees were selected based on their projects’ 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.
“Investing 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’s economic resilience,” said Chris Gustavson, CU Boulder’s director of Workforce Development. “These projects reflect the bold thinking and interdisciplinary collaboration needed to drive meaningful, lasting change.”
Please visit the Workforce Development Hub to learn more about how it is helping shape the future of work.
Awarded projects
Campus–Industry Curriculum Collaboration to Build Colorado’s 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 2025‑26 academic year through media‑rich, sociotechnical case studies—developed with faculty, alumni and industry partners—that lay the foundation for future workforce-relevant microcredentials. The authentic curricula empower students to practice multifaceted problem‑solving, 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.