2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 8 - LABOR AND INDUSTRY (§§ 8-1-101 — 8-88-207) › EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING (§§ 8-83-101 — 8-84-304) › Article 83 - WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT (§§ 8-83-101 — 8-83-1002) › Part 9 - WORKFORCE TRANSITIONS STUDY (§§ 8-83-901 — 8-83-903) › Section 8-83-902 - Workforce transitions study - report

(1)
On or before December 1, 2023, the office shall contract with an independent third party to conduct a study that explores workforce transitions in Colorado's economy for workers in the oil and gas industry and workers affected by industry disruption due to automation.
(2)
The office shall administer a request for proposals and solicit firms or public entities with the necessary credentials, as determined by the office, to bid on performing the study.
(3)
In performing the study, the contractor shall:
(a)
Regarding oil and gas workers:
(I)
Evaluate the transferable and nontransferable skills of workers in oil and gas extraction jobs, identify key populations of the workforce whose jobs may not easily transition to new industries or new types of work, and make recommendations to the office on next steps to develop workforce assistance programs to assist these workers;
(II)
Identify existing and emerging industries related to oil and gas extraction and the utility sector, and evaluate job transferability to and retraining for these existing and emerging industries, including adjacent energy and carbon management industries such as hydrogen fuels; enhanced geothermal systems; carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration; construction; well-plugging and remediation; workforce development for electric lineworkers and contractors focused on beneficial electrification and energy efficiency projects, and identify ways to remove barriers to obtaining appropriate skills and licenses;
(III)
In partnership with the Colorado energy office, created in section
24-38.5-101 (1)
, identify potential workforce needs in the short and medium term in emerging industries and renewable energy resources, as defined in section
40-2-124 (1)(a)(VII)
, and assess employment trends, taking historical data into account;
(IV)
Explore skill development needs, training availability, and transition strategies for workers and employers shifting from oil and gas jobs to emerging industries in the region, including consultation with other western states for purposes of learning about their workforce transition ideas and strategies; and
(V)
Develop policy and incentive proposals for programs to transition workers to existing and emerging industries in Colorado and the surrounding region, maximizing transition of workers to jobs in the same communities, and including analyses of federal funding opportunities;
(b)
Regarding industry disruption due to automation:
(I)
Explore how technology is simultaneously replacing existing work and creating new work;
(II)
Evaluate which occupations in Colorado are facing the most disruption due to automation;
(III)
Identify skill transferability to emerging industries and industries experiencing growth for occupations that are displaced due to automation and develop transition strategies for these workers and employers;
(IV)
Identify the skills needed for emerging and growing industries and explore the availability of skills training for workers transitioning to these industries;
(V)
Provide recommendations for funding, programs, and policies needed to prepare employers and workers for these transitions;
(VI)
Consult with relevant stakeholders across impacted industries in Colorado to discuss their human resource and workforce strategies and their long-term outlook on the industry and the state;
(VII)
Consult with relevant employers and employees across impacted industries in Colorado, including those who may be indirectly impacted;
(VIII)
Consult with employers and employees who may be indirectly impacted by a workforce transition to emerging industries, including employers and employees in energy sector construction, gas distribution, natural gas utilities, exploration equipment manufacturing, and wholesale or retail supply; and
(c)
Regarding funding for workforce transition and community economic development:
(I)
Evaluate and analyze federal funding sources available to the state government, local governments, and the private sector for workforce development and community economic development;
(II)
Evaluate and analyze current state and local government workforce development, resiliency, and recovery infrastructure;
(III)
Track current federal funding secured for workforce transition and economic development in communities affected by workforce transition and identify funding gaps; and
(IV)
Recommend policies that promote interagency collaboration to maximize the potential of government agencies and the private sector to secure available federal funding, including consideration of creating positions for staff who will serve as a liaison with existing state government offices, local governments, and the private sector for the purposes of grant writing and other support.
(4)
(a)
On or before December 1, 2024, the office shall submit a report to the governor and to the business, labor, and technology committee of the senate and the business affairs and labor committee of the house of representatives, or their successor committees. The report must include the study's research, findings, and recommendations, in accordance with subsection (3) of this section.
(b)
The report required by this subsection (4) must include, but should not be limited to:
(I)
Consideration and comparison of wages and salaries in both existing industries and emerging industries and an assessment of potential gaps that may exist; and
(II)
Disaggregated data that maps the impact of workforce transition and maps the geographic location of potential jobs in existing or emerging industries.
(c)
The office shall issue an update on the key findings of the study to the business, labor, and technology committee of the senate and the business affairs and labor committee of the house of representatives, or their successor committees, by August 1, 2024.
Added by 2023 Ch. 196,§ 1, eff. 8/7/2023.
2023 Ch. 196, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).