National Western Center Highlights UCAN's Youth Workforce Development Program
When the National Western Center's community newsletter went out earlier this spring, UCAN's Youth Workforce Development program was front and center.
Under a "Partnership Spotlight" feature, the National Western Center highlighted the launch of UCAN's Apprenticeship Ready Program at Bruce Randolph High School — an initiative designed to open doors into the trades for students who might otherwise face significant barriers to entry. The recognition reflects a partnership that has been building for some time, and an investment in the kind of workforce pipeline that North Denver's emerging economy will depend on.
What the Program Does
The Apprenticeship Ready Program is a free workforce training initiative that gives students a direct pathway into a pre-apprenticeship track in the electrical trades — with no entrance exam required to get started. That last part matters. Apprenticeship programs traditionally carry entry requirements that can screen out exactly the students this program is designed to reach: high school seniors, young adults entering the workforce for the first time, and community members who are ready to learn a trade but haven't had a clear on-ramp.
Through UCAN's partnership with the National Western Center and Payan Realty (DBE), students access the program through the Environmental Innovation Academic Learning Lab, located in the Vault Conference Room at 5115 Race Court on the National Western Center campus. To complete the program, participants log 40 hours of lab time, with appointments scheduled at least 24 hours in advance to ensure adequate staffing and support.
The program doesn't stop at technical training. Academic and career support are built in from the beginning, along with community outreach and engagement components that connect students to employers, resources, and a broader professional network before they ever step onto a job site.
Growing to Serve More Schools
One of the most significant pieces of the National Western Center's spotlight was the announcement of program expansion. Colorado Charter High School — located in the 80216 zip code, the same community UCAN has long called home — will also participate in the Apprenticeship Ready Program during the 2026–2027 school year. Bringing the program to a second school is a sign of both its early traction and the shared commitment among partners to scale what's working.
Beyond the trades pathway, UCAN and its partners are also developing a High School Medical Internship Program in collaboration with Clinica Tepeyac, Colorado Charter High School, and other community leaders. Details on that initiative are forthcoming, but its development signals a broader effort to build multiple career pathways for North Denver students — not just one.
Why This Recognition Matters
Being featured as a Partnership Spotlight in the National Western Center's community newsletter is more than a visibility moment. It reflects a formal, institutional acknowledgment that the work UCAN is doing in workforce development is part of a larger strategy for the campus and for the surrounding neighborhoods of Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea.
The National Western Center has committed to ensuring that the economic growth happening on and around its campus creates lasting benefit for the community already living there. For UCAN, workforce development is one of the most direct ways to deliver on that promise — because a young person who completes a trades apprenticeship and lands a stable job is a story that changes not just their own trajectory, but their family's and their block's.
This program is funded through the Trades Program and is currently accepting participants for the 2026–2027 school year. If you or someone you know is interested in the Apprenticeship Ready Program, visit UCAN's Youth Workforce Development page to learn more and apply — at no cost.