Westslope Sector Partnerships
Convening business & community stakeholders to strengthen local industry.
Sector partnerships are crucial to create a collaborative platform where local business leaders, educators, workforce developers, and community stakeholders can work together to address industry-specific workforce and other competitive needs. By aligning resources with demands of local industries, these partnerships help drive economic growth and enhances regional competitiveness. Furthermore, sector partnerships support community development by creating job opportunities, fostering innovation, and ensuring the sustainable development of the local economy.
As co-conveners, we bring together business leaders, educators, workforce developers, and community organizations within specific industries to address workforce needs and boost industry competitiveness. These partnerships align education and training with industry demands, drive economic growth, and support community development.
Join us in strengthening our local industries through these innovative collaborations.
Below are a list of current partnerships convened by the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce and CMU Tech:
For more information about sector partnership efforts across the state, visit the Colorado Workforce Development Council's sector partnerships page.
Manufacturing
The Western Slope is home to a large variety of manufacturers that create innovative and impactful products and goods that are sold across the world. Critical to a sustainable and vibrant community, manufacturing is a key industry with unique challenges and opportunities. This sector partnership works to leverage resources from the Federal, State, and Local level to address issues including a retaining and attracting a skilled workforce, navigating supply chain issues, increased costs of workplace benefits, and exporting.
Retail, Restaurant, Hospitality
In an ever-changing economy, our local Retail, Restaurant, and Hospitality industry must constantly be nimble to effectively navigate rising costs, shortages in workforce, and increased competition. Explore our Retail, Restaurant, and Hospitality sector partnership as we create pathways to solve hiring challenges, improving workplace culture to foster employee retention, and promote healthy business practices that allow growth that is truly sustainable.
Healthcare
As the fastest growing industry on the Western Slope, Healthcare experiences its fair-share of growing pains. From regulation and increasing costs to workforce shortages, our sector partnership is committed to assisting this local industry in retaining the largest collective workforce in our communities while continuing to advocate for access equality across rural Colorado.
Contact
Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Westslope Sector Partnership Co-Conveners
Candace Carnahan
970-263-2919 | candace@gjchamber.org
Brigitte Sundermann
970-255-2700 | bsunderm@coloradomesa.edu