A fundamental shift in the future of work is underway, with significant implications for the types, number, and location — even the remote location — of jobs
The mission of EPIC is to support our local workforce needs by providing job ready skills to high school students and adults.
Local Programs
The BOCES currently offers programs in Cyber Security, Construction trades, Digital Media, and Pre-Engineering. This fall, we will be adding programs in Coding, Automotive and Construction. We work with partner schools to support programs that integrate into their curriculum through clubs, capstone projects and classes.
Online Learning
We partner with Colorado Digital Learning Solutions, a state-supported supplemental online program that provides Colorado Districts, BOCES and charter schools with access to high-quality online courses that supplement their existing course offerings in a 21st-century environment.
Internships
The BOCES has a growing internship pool of over 50 businesses. We work with partner schools and industry to facilitate internships that are linked to industry certifications and hands-on experience required to enter the workforce.
Teacher Training
The BOCES will pay for teachers to get certified to teach Career Technical Education classes. Join the growing number of teachers and school who support alternative pathways for high school students.
In Colorado, these are the areas highlighted as having unprecedented room to grow
Advanced manufacturing
Manufacturing employs almost 13 million Americans. The manufacturing workforce has been growing since the end of the Great Recession, with increasing momentum in the past two years. Much of industry growth can be attributed to the automotive and aerospace manufacturing sectors, while medical device manufacturing has also been growing steadily. About 4.6 million manufacturing jobs are predicted through 2028, including new jobs and jobs that will open up owing to retirements. However, if talent shortages continue, 2.4 million of those positions may go unfilled. Currently, 89 percent of manufacturers are experiencing talent shortages, with 60 percent reporting a high or very high impact on productivity.
Manufacturers in the United States account for 11.39% of the total output in the economy, employing 8.51% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $2,334.60 billion in 2018. While manufacturing as an industry is declining slightly, the number of jobs and occupational outlook for replacing retiring workers, there is a significant need for training programs that focus on fundamental manufacturing skills.
Careers
- Production supervisors
- Quality control inspectors
- Welders
- CAD drafting technicians
- Mechanical engineers
- Numerical tool programmers
- Electromechanical technicians
- Operations managers
Estimated Salary: $85,000
Careers
- Animal Science
- Agribusiness
- Horticulturist
- Animal Science
- Food Products and Processing Systems
- Plant Science
- Power Structural and Technical Systems
Estimated Salary: $45,000
Agriculture
While fewer than a million Americans are involved in traditional farming, more than 21 million people are employed in nontraditional agriculture careers, many of which require advanced degrees. These careers encompass a wide range of jobs in food production, natural resources, plant systems, animal management and much more.
With the average age of farmers now in the late 50’s, it is important to spark young people’s interest in agriculture to encourage the best and the brightest to become involved in fields that agriculture depends on, such as science and engineering.
auto mechanics
While the national data demonstrates a decline in the need for auto mechanics, the industry continues to support over 655,000 jobs in the country and 11,480 in Colorado. Anecdotally, by surveying regional car dealerships and auto repair service centers, there is a need for skilled employees entering the workforce as current mechanics begin to retire from the industry. Specifically mentioned was the need for brand specific training programs, where a company like Toyota has specific training needs and there are no training programs that meet those demands in the region.
Careers
- Automotive Mechanic (gas, diesel, EV)
- Autobody repairs
- Lube Tech
Estimated Salary: $65,000
Auto Mechanics
The EPIC Automotive program will provide students with skills associated with all aspects of auto mechanics, including gas, diesel and EV motors. Utilizing state of the art technical trainers, students will gain knowledge that will lead to placement in the industry upon graduating high school.
While the national data demonstrates a decline in the need for auto mechanics, the industry continues to support over 655,000 jobs in the country and 11,480 in Colorado. Anecdotally, by surveying regional car dealerships and auto repair service centers, there is a need for skilled employees entering the workforce as current mechanics begin to retire from the industry. Specifically mentioned was the need for brand specific training programs, where a company like Toyota has specific training needs and there are no training programs that meet those demands in the region.
The CRBOCES needs assessment also indicated that there is a high need for diesel mechanics to support commercial needs and the demands of the oil and gas industry that dominates the region.
In an effort to be forward looking, our program team also sees the need to provide programming for the electric vehicle maintenance program. Very few programs exist across the country and with the march towards more EV, the occupational market for EV mechanics will expand.
Careers
- Automotive Mechanic (gas, diesel, EV)
- Autobody repairs
- Lube Tech
Estimated Salary: $55,000
Aviation
Colorado has become the nation’s second largest aerospace economy. With 180 aerospace companies and more than 500 businesses that provide space-related products and services, the state’s vision for an Aerospace Alley is becoming a reality, as are jobs in this juggernaut industry. The broad spectrum of drone technology is beyond comprehension and while we are concentrating the efforts in the center on drones that fly and the work they can do in relation to our other programs, below is a short list of other types of drones and the industries that they are either currently operating or will be in the very near future.
Careers
- Includes pilots, mechanics, and drone programs
- There is global need to replace 260,000 pilots in the next ten years.
Estimated Salary: $65,000
Aviation
The aviation industry has a myriad of roles and responsibilities, but the primary occupation is that of a pilot. Recent data shows that there is a significant need for trained pilots to replace a retiring pilot cadre. Despite the short-term decline in the number of active pilots, analysis shows that the civil aviation industry will require more than 260,000 new pilots over the next decade.
Another key component of the aviation industry is the need for certified mechanics and technicians to provide maintenance for private and commercial aircraft. With several airports in the region and no training center for these occupations, having a credentialed program is a defined need. The projected growth for the aviation industry in Colorado can be seen by the chart below.
Careers
- Includes pilots, mechanics, and drone programs
- There is global need to replace 260,000 pilots in the next ten years.
Estimated Salary: $65,000
Careers
- Plumbing
- Electrician
- Framing
- Cabinetry
Estimated Salary: $45,000
Construction
With an expected industry growth rate of 31% by 2027 and an average salary of $61,559, construction presents a remarkable on-ramp to the middle class while requiring more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year higher education degree. There is an astonishing need to fill 45,000 construction jobs in Colorado by 2027
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
- Need: 50,000 new construction workers by 2027
- Technological advancements: increasing use of innovative technology including drones, virtual design technology, virtual, augmented and mixed reality applications and more.
- Compensation: Above average compensation and benefits with real career opportunities.
- Continual Training: You can earn while you learn and have no student loan debt”.
Estimated Salary: $45,000
Construction
A career in construction is a dignified career in a team environment you can be proud to be a part of. It is an industry where you can see the results of your work daily and for years to come... and the opportunities are endless. The industry embraces diversity. Colorado construction contractors welcome new men and women, without experience, into their “caring cultures” on a regular basis.
Digital Media
Careers in digital media are highly needed in today's world and involve a mix of various jobs and skills. Digital media specialists design and develop content for video games, websites, animation, special effects and marketing initiatives. If analytics are your special talent, you can also find jobs working with information technology and web analytics.
Careers
- Digital Media Specialist
- Computer Programmer
- Video Game Designer
- Web Application Developer
- Web Analytic Specialist
Estimated Salary: $55,000
Estimated Salary: $45,000
Data Science & Cybersecurity
The shortage of cybersecurity professionals is nearing three million globally, with North America’s shortfall estimated at 498,000. The limited understanding of prerequisite skills and knowledge required when entering the field is a significant hurdle, and an unparalleled opportunity to pioneer Cybersecurity CTE for the nation. High pay for these occupations, combined with one of the largest job growth areas are attractive reasons to add Cyber Security to our programmatic pathways with an added bonus of being able to do most of these jobs remotely, keeping our youth in the region to expand on the local talent pool.
Outdoor Recreation
Outdoor recreation jobs involve responsibilities related to recreational activities that take place outside. You can work as a tour guide for an area, in which your duties are to lead hikes and provide information on the area. You can also develop programs to educate and teach people about the wilderness or set up any programs that involve nature or outdoor community facilities. You can become a park ranger, an outdoor education instructor, an outdoor recreation guide, a camp counselor, or a conservation specialist. There are also higher level positions where you manage and oversee a specific area of land and supervise additional staff members.
Careers
- Recreation Guide/Instructor in outdoor activity such as rafting, kayaking, hunting, skiing, fishing, climbing, caving or tramping
- Forest School Teacher
- Recreation Manager/Director
- Park Ranger
- Survivor School Instructor
Estimated Salary: $35,000
Cyber Security/Information Security Analysts
High pay for these occupations, combined with one of the largest job growth areas are attractive reasons to add Cyber Security to our programmatic pathways with an added bonus of being able to do most of these jobs remotely, keeping our youth in the region to expand on the local talent pool.
Drone Technology
The broad spectrum of drone technology is beyond comprehension and while we are concentrating the efforts in the center on drones that fly and the work they can do in relation to our other programs, below is a short list of other types of drones and the industries that they are either currently operating or will be in the very near future.
- Aerial photography for journalism and film
- Express shipping and delivery
- Gathering information or supplying essentials for disaster management
- Thermal sensor drones for search and rescue operations
- Geographic mapping of inaccessible terrain and locations
- Building safety inspections
- Precision crop monitoring
- Unmanned cargo transport
- Law enforcement and border control surveillance
- Storm tracking and forecasting hurricanes and tornadoes
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
- Aerospace
- Chemical
- Mining and Metallurgical
- Mechanical
- Architectural
- Electrical
- Systems Engineering
Estimated Salary: $85,000-165,000
Pre Engineering:
Engineers have a vital role in modern society. They are the developers and innovators of the products, services, and overall environment in which we live. As consumers, we seek improved and reliable services. We want innovative, environmentally neutral, and sustainable products. We expect a reliable and safe infrastructure to continue our daily living standard. Engineers are needed to keep us at the living standard that we enjoy and expect.
Programming:
The job of a computer programmer is vitally important in today’s digital-focused economy, which is why the number of openings in this field continues to grow.
Programmers write code for computer programs and mobile applications. They also are involved in maintaining, debugging and troubleshooting systems and software to ensure that everything is running smoothly.
Programming skills are essential for many technology disciplines, but are in especially high demand for software and web development roles. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), web development jobs are projected to grow by as much as 15% over the 2016-2026 period, adding another 24,400 new jobs.
Careers
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Database Administrator
- Security Analyst
- Hardware Engineer
- Software Developer
- Web Designer