BRIGHT FUTURES BOARD FALL APPLICATION CLOSES, OVER 700 APPLICATIONS RECEIVED
WELD COUNTY, CO. (August 9, 2018)- The Bright Futures application for the fall 2018 semester closed on June 30thand over 700 graduating high school seniors along with GED recipients joined the ranks of individuals taking advantage of this program., of the impactful Weld County Bright Futures grant. This brings the total number of grants earned within this program to over 3,500.
The Bright Futures programs focus is to strengthen the Weld County workforceecosystem. While Bright Futures is still in an early phase the dividends are paying off individually and for the region.
The true benefactor of this program is the Weld County business community, it has been the focus of Interim Executive Director, Amy Tallent, to meet with the workforce and understand their five year hiring needs. This information will be presented to every high school student in Weld County and Bright Future applicant, allowing students to learn which companies are hiring and what specific steps need to be accomplished to gain employment. Along with this presentation to students, is a new Bright Futures Career Fair that will be taking place in the spring furthering the connection between students and the business community. Any businesses interested in meeting with Bright Futures should send an email to director@brightfuturesco.com.
Cureton Midstream is one of the companies working closely with Bright Futures. They have entered into an agreement to support the program over several years and believe in investing in the community they operate in while creating workforce opportunities with Bright Futures. “Taking care of our communities and our employees are two of the biggest priorities at Cureton Midstream. Bright Futures allows us the opportunity to be engaged and start building relationships with our next generation of the workforce,” said Charlie Beecherl, President of Cureton Midstream.
The Bright Futures program supported by Weld County continues to help the region outpace other areas of the country in its ability to meet the demand of employers in this growing economy. “Providing a strong workforce pipeline that aligns with the needs of our companies is one of our best incentives to retain and attract businesses to Weld County,” stated Upstate Colorado President and Bright Futures Board Member Rich Werner. “When we present this innovative program to the business community, especially to potential new businesses, they immediately see its potential and know it will provide them with an opportunity to partner and assist with facilitating a skilled workforce for years to come.”
Around the country, other communities have similar programs, typically known as “promise programs,” and are beginning to see the benefits that a program like this offers to their workforce and the economic change in their community.
The Denver Promise Economic Impact Study reports “…the average DSF investment in a DSF graduate returns $9.59 for every $1.00 in scholarship, in taxes paid (including federal income, Social Security, Medicare, state and local income, sales, and property taxes).” This total doesn’t include the financial relief that promise programs bring in terms of social service programs.
For more information on the Bright Futures program, please visit www.brightfuturesco.com.
