Whether you’re judging by the mountains, the beer, or the state’s strong economy, we can all agree that Colorado is an impressive state. This includes a historically low unemployment rate that leads the nation. And while this is good news for the state’s economy, there is still work to be done to ensure all Coloradans can access opportunities for great careers in a changing workforce landscape.
While Colorado’s unemployment rate has sat at a record-low 2.3 percent during the past two months, a deeper dig into the numbers reveals that some workers are struggling to find more fulfilling opportunities. For instance, unemployment rates among African-Americans and Hispanics throughout the state are close to 5 percent, while communities such as Pueblo are seeing rates of around 4 percent.
Then there are Coloradans who are working – but not as much as they want to be. During the first quarter of 2017, 92,000 Coloradans classified themselves as “involuntary parttime workers” – or those working fewer than 35 hours a week who want full-time jobs.
