Steve Bates- President, BPI Colorado is seeing a surge in high school students taking college‑level courses — a promising trend that shows young people are eager to gain skills that lead to meaningful employment. According to a recent report highlighted by Chalkbeat Colorado, about 40% of community college enrollment now consists of high school students earning college credits. More than 40,000 Colorado high schoolers participated in dual enrollment in fall 2025, an increase of over 3,000...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Bates Philanthropic Initiative (BPI) contact@bpicharity.org Beth Best, BPI Board of Directors Littleton, CO —August 12th, 2026 — The Bates Philanthropic Initiative (BPI) is proud to announce the election of Beth Best to its Board of Directors, expanding the organization’s leadership team with a seasoned expert in education, workforce development, and community partnership building. Beth brings more than 17 years of experience advancing opportunities for Colorado...

The demand for skilled trades workers is rising rapidly across the United States. Companies like Ford, Google, Carhartt, and BlackRock have recently joined forces to promote careers in skilled trades, recognizing the critical role these jobs play in the economy. This collaboration highlights a growing awareness among industry leaders that investing in skills development, education, and training is essential to fill the millions of open positions in trades such as manufacturing, construction,...