Welcome to the monthly newsletter for the Wyoming Innovation Partnership (WIP).
WIP is making significant strides to drive workforce development and align Wyoming’s higher educational institutions to meet today’s – and tomorrow’s – industry needs. This newsletter aims to keep Wyoming informed about ongoing efforts and achievements of this transformative program.
Placing a strong emphasis on creating innovative solutions that bolster Wyoming's economy, workforce, and sources of revenue, WIP is building upon and complementing existing state initiatives related to economic development and ensuring the sustainability of these efforts.
Governor Gordon aptly summarizes the mission: "In order for industries to stay in or relocate to Wyoming, they must have confidence that Wyoming's workforce can meet their needs."
Wyoming Innovation Partnership is making an impact for Wyoming. WIP is deeply committed to tracking key metrics and data to guide decisions and demonstrate success. Data-driven strategies are essential for the long-term prosperity of Wyoming and its communities. Having recently completed the first of three planned phases for the initiative, Phase I metrics include:
Projected industry job growth: 19% (from 70,429 jobs in 2020 to 83,788 jobs by 2030)
New education programs developed or in-progress: 29
WIP program enrollment: 294 high school students and 192 Postsecondary students
One of WIP’s primary goals is to increase enrollment and graduate retention, ensuring that individuals who earn postsecondary credentials from WIP institutions remain in and get a job in Wyoming to contribute to its workforce.
WIP is making significant strides in targeted critical areas for workforce development:
Entrepreneurship: WIP is fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem and offering support for innovative ideas through makerspaces and innovation workshops. The goal is to make Wyoming an attractive hub for entrepreneurs.
Tourism and Hospitality: WIP is expanding workforce training programs and resource-sharing initiatives to boost Wyoming's tourism and hospitality sector.
Digital Infrastructure and Technology: WIP is supporting education and training for a highly-skilled workforce to meet the growing demands of the digital economy. This includes the establishment of the School of Computing at the University of Wyoming, reaching students from elementary school onwards.
Energy Workforce:Wyoming, as the largest exporter of energy in the nation, is expanding its ability. The state’s powerline technology program is setting a model for successful partnerships between education and industry – and students are already using their WIP-supported training to get jobs in the field.
Healthcare Workforce: Phase I focused on addressing Wyoming's healthcare workforce shortages, including programs for Certified Nursing Assistants and Echocardiography specialization.
Applied Software Development: WIP enabled the development of Wyoming's first applied software development degrees, providing educational opportunities to address the state's tech workforce needs.
WIP is currently in Phase II, a larger effort that concentrates on significant workforce development programming, facilitating collaboration among WIP institutions, and launching large-scale initiatives to enhance institutional productivity and outcomes. The commitment is to drive measurable results and positive impacts.
See the Phase II funded projects on the WIP website, linked below.
