CCCS Chancellor Dr. Marielena DeSanctis and COBRT President Debbie Brown argue that Colorado’s tightening talent pipeline is an immediate constraint on growth, productivity and competitiveness. Half of Colorado’s high school graduates are not enrolling in college within a year, and more than 300,000 adults remain disconnected from education and training. The authors call on employers to co-design programs, host students through structured co-op experiences and hire directly from these pipelines as a primary talent strategy.