Demand for higher cognitive skills, such as creativity, critical thinking, decision making and complex information processing, is expected to grow by 19% in the United States and 14% in Europe by 2030, according to a recent report by McKinsey and Company.
The education system, and specifically highly-qualified educators, continue to be the lever for developing these essential skills in students. However, without the alignment of our workforce, education and economic development systems, cultivating these essential skills becomes a siloed and futile endeavor.
This is why MindSpark Learning is proud to be an affiliate of TalentFOUND, and support the growth of initiatives that bring these systems together in a concerted effort to help communities develop talent and find success, at all levels of the economic development spectrum.
Shifting the Mindset in Communities
Making Valuable Resources More Easily Accessible
Unfortunately, a great challenge many students, job seekers, workers and businesses face in Colorado is that they do not know how to access -- or have trouble finding -- the resources they need in order to find success.
That’s unacceptable.
The lack of easily-found and qualified resources shouldn’t be the hindrance that keeps us from shifting the mindset in communities; overcoming this simple obstacle is one way to support communities in focusing on workforce development as an entrepreneurial venture - linking schools, educators and students to industry and economic development systems.
When these resources, professional learning opportunities and support systems are all accessible in one place, it becomes significantly easier to lead a community-centered approach to education and workforce development.

About TalentFOUND
An Umbrella-Approach to Workforce Development
TalentFOUND, an initiative led by more than 100 affiliates, is an umbrella that brings readily available resources and support programs together, to better serve students, educators, employers and industries in communities with the talent, training and support they need to find success.
TalentFOUND is made up of three key components:
The Brand:Â The TalentFOUND brand is a unified entry point for individuals and employers to connect with the Colorado talent development network.
The Gateway: The online gateway at TalentFOUND.org is where students, job seekers and employers can connect with the existing resources of the Colorado talent development network – driving more people to the right place to get the help that’s available to them.
The Network: Workforce centers, industry associations, state agencies, school districts, businesses and nonprofits, like MindSpark Learning, came together to create TalentFOUND and continue to work to integrate efforts and strengthen the network.
Takeaway
MindSpark Learning is honored to be an affiliate of TalentFOUND, and help ensure students and educators have access to the kind of authentic problem-solving that’s predicated on the needs of businesses.
When this happens, we can better support industry’s growing need for a more qualified and dynamic talent pipeline, and help education and workforce development systems become drivers of economic vitality.