Five colleges and universities to participate in pilot to provide more students hands-on learning.

DENVER – April 24, 2026: Today, Governor Polis and the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) announced the five institutions selected to participate in the inaugural Colorado Work-Integrated Learning (CO-WIL) Pilot, a three-year initiative designed to give students real-world, hands-on learning experiences in college and university classrooms that apply to growing industries and good-paying jobs across the state.

The five institutions selected for the CO-WIL pilot program are Adams State University, Colorado Northwestern Community College, Colorado Mountain College, Fort Lewis College, and Lamar Community College.

“Colorado classrooms should give students more real hands-on experience, and that’s exactly what this initiative does. Providing students with real-world experiences in the classroom helps students get good-paying jobs, and is good for Colorado's workforce and growing economy,” said Governor Polis.

“These five institutions represent the innovation, commitment, and student-centered focus that CO-WIL is built on,” said CDHE Executive Director JB Holston. “By bringing industry-designed projects into the classroom, Colorado is strengthening its talent pipeline, improving workforce readiness, and ensuring more students graduate with experience that prepares them for high-demand careers.”

Authorized by House Bill 25-1186, CO-WIL supports institutions in integrating work-based projects into existing courses by partnering with a third-party work-integrated learning platform that connects faculty with employers across Colorado and beyond. Students gain hands-on, career-aligned experience while employers tap into emerging talent and innovative problem-solving from Colorado learners.

The selected institutions will receive:

• Financial and technical support to embed project-based learning into five courses.
• Faculty professional development, course design assistance, and platform support.
• Direct connections with employers providing real-world, industry-sponsored projects.
• Ongoing coaching, field support, and evaluation across the three-year pilot.
  
  

Priority for the pilot was given to rural-located and low-income-serving institutions in alignment with CO-WIL's mission to expand equitable access to meaningful work-based learning opportunities.

The initiative is funded by Ascendium Education Group, which has committed $5.5 million over three years, with an additional $100,000 one-year grant from Strada Education Foundation, to support the pilot’s mission of expanding access and opportunity at institutions serving rural and low-socioeconomic populations. Riipen serves as a valued partner in the CO-WIL initiative, providing a third-party work-integrated learning platform that connects faculty and employers to deliver real-world, industry-sponsored projects at the heart of this pilot.

The CO-WIL Consortium launches in May 2026, with project-embedded courses starting this fall 2026.

For more information about CO-WIL, visit: https://cdhe.colorado.gov/co-wil‍

About the Colorado Department of Higher EducationWorking with the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, we support students, advocate, and develop policies to maximize higher education opportunities for all. The Department believes every Coloradan should have an education beyond high school to pursue their dreams and improve our communities. Read the strategic plan, Building Skills in an Evolving Economy. (https://cdhe.colorado.gov/strategic-plan)