[Case Study] Wings Over the Rockies + Tech Talent Partnership: Industry-Sponsored Project Pilot
Wings Over the Rockies + Tech Talent Partnership Case Study
Solving Real Business Challenges While Building Colorado's Future Tech Talent
Wings Over the Rockies partnered with the Tech Talent Partnership to turn real cybersecurity challenges into hands-on, work-based learning opportunities for Colorado learners.
The Challenge
Many organizations have important projects that never move beyond the idea stage. Limited staff capacity, competing priorities, budget constraints, and lack of specialized expertise often prevent valuable initiatives from moving forward. At the same time, students and emerging professionals struggle to gain the real-world experience employers increasingly expect.
When Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum (WOTR) sought to expand its cybersecurity education offerings and strengthen its own cybersecurity practices, it faced a challenge familiar to many nonprofits: ambitious goals, but limited capacity to pursue them.
Rather than allowing these priorities to remain on the shelf, WOTR partnered with the Tech Talent Partnership (TTP) through an innovative Industry-Sponsored Project model that connects employer needs with learner talent.
The Solution: Turning a Business Challenge into a Learning Opportunity
The project was made possible through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s EPIC (Employer Provided Innovation Challenges) initiative, which selected TTP to serve as a clearinghouse for employer-sponsored projects and work-based learning opportunities.
TTP brought together 16 learners representing a diverse network of education and workforce partners, including Adams 12 Bollman Campus, ActivateWork, ClimbHire, Arapahoe Community College, and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.
Working alongside Wings Over the Rockies, TTP helped transform a real organizational need into two meaningful cybersecurity-focused projects:
- A Cybersecurity Enhancement & Risk Assessment project
- A Cybersecurity Education Pathway and Lab Design project focused on aerospace careers
During project planning meetings, Wings’ leadership identified both immediate cybersecurity concerns and a desire to explore future cybersecurity programming for students participating in its Aerospace Academy. The Industry-Sponsored Project model provided a pathway to address both goals simultaneously.
How the Project Worked
Rather than operating as traditional interns, learners were organized into multidisciplinary teams and asked to function as consultants, researchers, project managers, and problem-solvers. They conducted research both on-site and remotely, managed deliverables, developed recommendations, and presented their findings directly to stakeholders.
The project intentionally created opportunities for participants from multiple pathways to work together while gaining exposure to one another’s programs and perspectives: Learners from high schools, community colleges, workforce development programs, and universities collaborated across educational backgrounds and experience levels.
TTP provided the structure, coordination, and support needed to make the project successful while minimizing the employer’s burden. Instead of asking WOTR to build an internship program or dedicate significant internal resources, TTP translated business needs into a manageable, supported project experience.
Results for Wings Over the Rockies
The industry-sponsored project pilot delivered real, practical value for Wings Over the Rockies: Learner teams produced recommendations and presentations that offered fresh perspectives and actionable ideas on both cybersecurity readiness and future educational programming. The experience gave the organization an opportunity to explore how cybersecurity education could complement its existing aerospace programming while supporting future growth.
During the project debrief, project leaders reported that WOTR found the experience highly beneficial. The resulting recommendations and deliverables helped identify new opportunities and created resources to support future decision-making and board discussions.
Michelle McMahon, Director of Education at Wings Over the Rockies, described the Tech Talent program as an invaluable resource for the nonprofit museum, noting that it helped the organization identify key needs for two important programs, tap into specialized talent, and lay the groundwork for future projects and programming.
Perhaps most importantly, the project demonstrated that organizations do not need large budgets or extensive internal resources to benefit from emerging talent. By bringing a real challenge to the table, WOTR gained access to fresh thinking, meaningful deliverables, and a new approach to problem-solving.
“We really enjoyed participating in the Tech Talent program. It enabled Wings Over the Rockies to identify key elements we needed for two crucial programs. It also allowed us to tap into specialized talent, which helped us develop a new course of study for our middle- and high-school enrichment program. It was an invaluable resource for our non-profit museum. The projects we accomplished together laid the foundation for future projects for the museum and its programming. “
— Michelle McMahon, Director of Education at Wings Over the Rockies
Results for Learners
The impact on learners was equally significant. Participants gained hands-on experience working on authentic business challenges, strengthening technical, communication, leadership, and project management skills. Rather than completing hypothetical assignments, they developed portfolio-ready work that can be used to demonstrate their capabilities to future employers.
For one ActivateWork alum, the experience reinforced a lesson that applies well beyond a single project: the importance of truly listening to what a client is asking for, rather than bringing assumptions or past experiences into a new engagement. That mindset helped participants approach the work with curiosity, flexibility, and a stronger understanding of what it means to meet a client’s real needs.
Through this pilot, students were able to build tangible project portfolios and demonstrate their skills through real deliverables. These types of work-based learning experiences can help bridge one of the most persistent barriers facing emerging talent—obtaining meaningful experience before securing employment.
Why the Tech Talent Partnership Model Works
The Wings Over the Rockies pilot showcased the unique value of TTP’s role within Colorado’s workforce ecosystem.
TTP acts as a connector between employers, education providers, workforce organizations, and learners. By coordinating opportunities and reducing administrative burden, the Partnership enables organizations to engage with talent in a practical, low-risk way while creating meaningful learning experiences for participants.
The pilot also demonstrated remarkable efficiency. With an investment of approximately $8,000–$10,000, the project engaged 16 learners across multiple education and workforce programs, providing stipends that expanded access and removed barriers to participation.
The model allowed projects to move quickly, provided employers with actionable recommendations, and created equitable work-based learning opportunities without the complexities typically associated with internships or academic credit requirements.
A Call to Employers: What's Sitting on Your Shelf?
The success of the Wings Over the Rockies industry-sponsored project demonstrates a powerful truth: many organizations already have the perfect project for an Industry-Sponsored Project—they just may not realize it yet.
Do you have:
- A technology challenge that hasn’t been prioritized?
- A process that needs improvement?
- Research you’ve wanted completed?
- Data that needs analysis?
- A cybersecurity concern?
- A product, service, or workflow you’d like fresh perspectives on?
You do not need a formal internship program. You do not need to dedicate significant staff resources. You simply need a challenge worth solving. TTP can help connect that challenge with motivated learners eager to build experience and contribute meaningful solutions.
The result is a win for everyone: organizations gain insight and additional capacity, learners gain experience and portfolio pieces, and Colorado strengthens its talent pipeline.
Ready to Get Started?
Interested in participating in future Industry-Sponsored Projects? Let’s connect.
The next great project—and the next opportunity to develop Colorado’s future workforce—might be sitting on your shelf right now.
An Interview with ActivateWork Alumnus Mark Sianipar
Alumni Spotlight: Mark Sianipar
Mark Sianipar is a graduate of ActivateWork’s Software Development Course (2025‑DEN‑01 Cohort)
Mark Sianipar spent months job-hunting after graduating from ActivateWork in June 2025, sending out dozens of applications for software roles—many of which went unanswered—before landing a position he loves as a Solutions Engineer with VisionLink, a nonprofit that develops and deploys software platforms for community service management and disaster relief.
We caught up with Mark to learn more about his job search, interview strategies, and how he staved off burnout throughout the process.
What’s one small thing you did during your job search that made a big difference?
Mark: Accepting that I should apply to software development-adjacent roles—that opened up a lot more doors without closing the path to becoming a Software Developer. I started getting more interviews, and in those conversations, I made sure to ask about opportunities to grow into a developer role.
My current role as a Solutions Engineer aligns well with what I learned in the Software Development bootcamp—it is mostly client-facing while still giving me the opportunity to do front-end customization and read other people’s code, which helped ease a lot of that initial imposter syndrome.
Did you hit any roadblocks along the way? How did you work through them?
Mark: One of the biggest roadblocks I ran into was constant rejection. It is mentally taxing and can take a toll on how you see yourself as a candidate.
What helped me work through it was learning not to take each rejection personally, staying consistent with applications, and using it as a chance to improve. I spent time looking back at previous interviews, resumes, and cover letters to identify areas I could strengthen. That included how I projected my voice, how I handled questions that caught me off guard, and how I presented myself on camera.
Over time, making small adjustments in those areas helped me feel more confident and prepared. While it may seem small and even a bit cliché, those incremental improvements really added up and made a noticeable difference.
What do you think helped you stand out as a candidate?
Mark: I think what helped me stand out as a candidate was not just my technical projects, but my experience outside of them. I had been showcasing the projects I built during my two bootcamps for over a year and a half, but the key factor that came up in interviews was my volunteer work as a board member at my church.
That experience showed that I can communicate clearly, understand client/church member needs, and balance those needs with technical limitations and budget constraints. The ability to manage expectations and translate between technical and non-technical perspectives set me apart for a Solutions Engineer role.
At the same time, my ability to understand code and implement front-end changes reinforced that I can still execute on the technical side, which helped round out my candidacy.
What are you enjoying most about your current role and team?
Mark: What I am enjoying most about my current role and team is the mission behind the work. VisionLink’s focus on disaster relief and integrating community services and programs into a single platform to connect people to the resources they need makes the work feel meaningful.
Being able to support communities and individuals who are actively seeking help is gratifying and a constant reminder of the real people I am working for. That sense of purpose carries across the entire team. From helpdesk to leadership, there is a shared understanding that times are tough for a lot of people and that the best way to support communities is to make resources more accessible.
What advice would you give to someone who’s feeling stuck in their job search?
My advice would be not to exhaust yourself and to lean into your network. Stay consistent, but give yourself space so you do not burn out.
One thing that really helped me was staying connected through monthly check-ins with my coach at ActivateWork. I know I am at my worst when it feels like my feet are stuck in the mud, and it seems like I am moving backward. In those moments, getting advice and encouragement from people like Kelli and Emily made a big difference and helped me keep going in my search for a role in tech.
Lean on others, seek honest feedback, and keep putting yourself out there. That combination of support and effort is what helped me get unstuck and eventually land where I am now.
Ready to launch your new tech career?
Learn more about the courses we offer, try out some course pre-work to see if the material interests you, or start your application today!
[Case Study] OIT & ActivateWork Apprenticeships: Building Colorado's Tech Workforce from the Ground Up
How the Colorado Governor’s Office of Information Technology Partnered with ActivateWork to Create a Sustainable Talent Pipeline
The Challenge: Competing for Talent in a Hyper-Competitive Market
The Colorado Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) provides secure technology solutions to all 18 state government agencies under the executive branch, driving innovation and solutions that power the services Coloradans rely on every day, from food assistance and unemployment benefits to early childhood education and public safety.
Among OIT’s most difficult roles to fill are software developer positions, roles that require a wide range of technical skills, yet aren’t as “flashy” as many tech jobs in the private sector. As a public sector organization, the team also faces the challenge of competing for highly skilled technology talent against private-sector salaries and recruiting budgets.
OIT recognized that continually trying to outbid the private sector for senior developers was neither sustainable nor strategic. Instead of relying solely on talent acquisition, OIT sought a better long-term solution: organically growing its workforce from the entry level up. The goal was not simply to fill open positions, but to create a sustainable workforce pipeline capable of addressing persistent tech gaps for years to come, and to foster a culture of retention.
The Solution: Apprenticeship as a Workforce Strategy
Partnering with ActivateWork, OIT implemented a structured Software Development Apprenticeship program as an alternate pathway into a tech career in the public sector, based on ActivateWork’s training model, which combines rigorous technical training aligned to employer tech stacks with holistic support and career coaching.
Perhaps even more importantly, ActivateWork’s program emphasizes continuous professional development, emotional intelligence, and “soft” skills such as curiosity and communication—and not only during training. After completing their bootcamp, participants continue learning and upskilling throughout their 12-month structured Apprenticeship, while both apprentices and their managers receive ongoing coaching and support from ActivateWork.
The nonprofit collaborated closely with OIT leadership to understand their specific in-house tech stack, why those technologies were chosen, and the Office’s long-term vision, ensuring apprentices were technically prepared and could contribute meaningfully within OIT’s existing infrastructure.
“The curiosity level in every apprentice we’ve worked with is off the charts. They ask questions no one else has asked. Their knowledge is fresh, and they’re seeing it from a completely different viewpoint. It’s truly team-shifting.” —Bob Nogueira, Chief People Officer, OIT
The Results: High-Caliber Talent, Rapid Productivity
To date, OIT has hired 11 apprentices through ActivateWork, with more than half converting into regular full-time positions, which they hold to this day.
Managers consistently report that ActivateWork apprentices become productive within four to six weeks, a timeline that often outpaces experienced hires. In fact, OIT managers noted that even seasoned developers do not always reach full productivity within a month, making the apprentices’ early impact particularly notable.
What distinguishes ActivateWork’s candidates is not only their technical preparation but the depth of their professional readiness and, above all else, their curiosity.
“The curiosity level in every apprentice we’ve worked with is off the charts,” said Bob Nogueira, Chief People Officer at OIT. “They ask questions no one else has asked. Their knowledge is fresh, and they’re seeing it from a completely different viewpoint. It’s truly team-shifting.”
One example is Catalina Quarleri. After completing ActivateWork’s software development course in 2024, they were hired into a position that typically requires two to three years of experience. Despite having fewer years on paper, Cata’s training and Apprenticeship experience positioned them ahead of peers from traditional pathways.
Within their first year, Cata deployed a code component across the State of Colorado, an opportunity many developers do not experience until much later in their careers. As they put it, “ActivateWork played a pivotal role in my success. The program not only equipped me with the technical skills I needed but also helped me build confidence. I’m now working in a role I love, and I feel empowered to keep growing in my career.”
Strengthening Culture and Retention
A common misconception among hiring managers is that Apprenticeships require additional oversight and management time. OIT’s experience has been the opposite. With ActivateWork’s structured support model and continuous learning framework, managers describe the partnership as valuable rather than burdensome.
As Brandon Archuleta, Manager, Enterprise Applications at OIT, explained, “I manage 32 developers across five teams. Having that external structure and reporting support made the process significantly easier and something that ended up being helpful versus creating more work.”
Beyond productivity gains, apprentices have strengthened team culture at OIT. They integrate fully into workflows, contribute to billable work, and demonstrate a strong commitment to their teams.
OIT firmly believes in research showing that teams built organically, from the entry level up, frequently demonstrate stronger loyalty and long-term commitment. Apprentices who begin their careers within an organization develop a deeper connection to its mission and culture than senior developers transitioning across multiple employers. And this has been the case with OIT as well, where they have seen clear investment from each apprentice in growing with the company and staying loyal to their teammates.
A Shift from Talent Acquisition to Talent Development
OIT had attempted Apprenticeship programs in the past, but found that the promised training, preparation, and ongoing support always fell short. With ActivateWork, OIT found a true partner. The consistency of the bootcamp, the caliber of candidates, and the sustained employer collaboration differentiated the program from previous experiences.
ActivateWork’s programs attract hundreds of applicants per cohort, who are rigorously vetted for aptitude, coachability, and career readiness, prioritizing individuals who demonstrate commitment and potential but have faced barriers to traditional education or hiring pathways into long-term careers in technology.
“ActivateWork played a pivotal role in my success. The program not only equipped me with the technical skills I needed but also helped me build confidence. I’m now working in a role I love, and I feel empowered to keep growing in my career.” —Catalina Quarleri, ActivateWork Software Development Apprentice
The Bottom Line: Apprenticeships Are a Winning Workforce Strategy
For Colorado employers, Apprenticeships represent more than a hiring tactic. They are an effective long-term workforce strategy with proven ROI. By investing in structured Apprenticeship programs, organizations can reduce dependency on costly lateral hiring and talent acquisition, align talent development with their specific technology needs, and build resilient internal pipelines.
ActivateWork’s partnership with the Governor’s Office of Information Technology demonstrates what is possible when employers move beyond transactional talent acquisition and commit to building Colorado’s next generation of tech professionals from the ground up.
Ready to Build Your Winning Workforce Strategy?
Let’s build the next generation of tech talent—together.
Reach out to our team to explore apprenticeship pathways tailored to your business needs.
The Rising Tide of Cyber Threats—and Why Cybersecurity Apprenticeships Are Now a Business Imperative
AI is accelerating the speed and sophistication of modern attacks, and employers need a scalable way to build a future-ready cyber workforce—Cybersecurity Apprenticeships are a proven way to do just that.
Across every industry, leaders are confronting a reality that’s impossible to ignore: cyber threats are accelerating at unprecedented speed, scale, and sophistication. As organizations increase their reliance on digital infrastructure, cloud computing, and AI-powered tools, adversaries are doing the same—and they’re moving even faster.
As a result, companies worldwide are facing a rapidly evolving threat landscape that could destabilize economies, disrupt operations, and expose sensitive data at a scale not seen before, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026.
And while threats surge, the cybersecurity workforce simply isn’t keeping pace. Employers are struggling to fill critical security roles even as risks compound.
This dual crisis—a rapidly intensifying threat environment and a widening talent shortage—is reshaping how employers think about building cybersecurity teams. Increasingly, apprenticeship has emerged as one of the most effective, scalable, and future-ready solutions.
A New Era of Cyber Threats: Faster, Smarter, and AI-Driven
Multiple leading analysts agree that generative AI is transforming the cyber threat landscape and lowering the barrier for attackers.
- Forbes reports that in 2026, cybercriminals will deploy attacks that are more believable, more targeted, and more effective due to innovations like phishing-as-a-service and AI-driven personalization.
- Google Cloud’s Cybersecurity Forecast 2026 highlights how both attackers and defenders are rapidly scaling their capabilities using AI, exponentially increasing the speed and complexity of cyber operations.
- PWC’s 2026 Cybersecurity Outlook warns that advances in AI and widely accessible attack tools are “lowering the bar” for threat actors, enabling covert, high-impact campaigns that are harder to detect and neutralize.
In short, cybercrime is no longer limited by human speed or expertise. AI has made cyberattacks easier to deploy, easier to scale, and harder for traditional defenses to counter.
The Cybersecurity Talent Crisis: The Gap Widens
Even as threats evolve, the cybersecurity workforce is struggling to keep up. Demand for cybersecurity professionals has outpaced supply for over a decade, but AI-driven threats have widened the gap dramatically.
This shortage leaves employers struggling to fill essential roles in:
- Threat detection and incident response
- Cloud and hybrid-environment security
- AI-enhanced threat analysis
- Identity and access management
- Governance, risk, and compliance
Yet open cybersecurity roles remain vacant for months, sometimes years, placing immense strain on existing security staff and creating dangerous vulnerabilities for organizations.
With AI accelerating the scale, speed, and sophistication of attacks, the need for skilled cybersecurity talent is outpacing traditional education pipelines.
Why Apprenticeship Is the Breakthrough Employers Need
Cybersecurity Apprenticeships offer employers a faster, more reliable way to build strong security teams, especially when filling early-career and mid-level roles.
Unlike traditional hiring pathways, Cybersecurity Apprenticeships allow employers to:
Build talent based on real workforce needs
Apprentices are trained in practical, job-aligned skills, not outdated curricula. Instead of competing for a small pool of traditionally credentialed candidates, employers can develop cybersecurity professionals who are ready to contribute on day one.
Future-proof your team against evolving threats
Because apprenticeships are hands-on and competency-based, talent can adapt more quickly to emerging technologies, like AI-driven attack detection, automation tools, and cloud-first security architectures.
Diversify and expand your cybersecurity pipeline
Apprenticeship programs draw from high-potential talent pools, recruiting and preparing candidates who are often overlooked in conventional hiring models. This expands talent pools, strengthens team diversity, and supports long-term workforce development.
Reduce turnover and strengthen retention
Apprentices grow within the organization, gaining institutional knowledge, professional coaching, and real-world experience. This produces loyal, long-term team members who stay and grow.
Why Cybersecurity Apprenticeships Make Sense Now
The stakes for employers have never been higher. As cybercrime becomes increasingly automated and pervasive, organizations must adopt new strategies to build skilled, adaptable cybersecurity teams.
Cybersecurity Apprenticeships offer an effective and powerful combination of:
- Speed
- Scalability
- Cost-effectiveness
- Invaluable real-world experience
- Future-ready workforce resilience
They allow employers to get ahead of threats, not just react to them, and create a sustainable pipeline of cybersecurity professionals equipped for the realities of today’s AI-driven landscape.
ActivateWork Apprenticeships: A Winning Talent Solution with Unmatched ROI
At ActivateWork, we help employers stay ahead of the threat landscape by developing skilled, job-ready tech professionals through industry-aligned training, curated matching, and professional coaching. Our apprenticeship pathways—including cybersecurity, IT support, data analytics, and software development—are built to meet the evolving technical needs of modern teams.
Our employer-ready Registered Apprenticeship Programs, approved through Apprenticeship Colorado, can be easily deployed by businesses to hire, train, and retain tech talent without the cost or complexity of starting from scratch. You gain a proven model that works, with hands-on support every step of the way, so you can focus on growing your business while we help your apprentices grow into high-performing team members.
Employers see a strong, measurable ROI through apprenticeship, and the financial upside is significant. Through available state tax credits and federal grant programs*, ActivateWork can help employers access up to $20,600 per apprentice in financial incentives that reduce the cost of hiring and developing new cybersecurity talent, all while benefiting from a proven, lower-risk model for onboarding emerging professionals.
Connect With Us to Launch Your Apprenticeship Program
If your organization is feeling the pressure of the cybersecurity talent gap, or simply wants a more reliable, cost-effective way to build tech capacity, our Talent Solutions team is ready to help you explore the cybersecurity apprenticeship model and determine the best pathway for your workforce needs.
*ActivateWork’s programs are funded in part by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration through the Apprenticeship Building America (ABA2) grant program. This content was created by ActivateWork and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor.
Ready to Build a Talent Pipeline You Can Count On?
Let’s build the next generation of cybersecurity talent—together.
Reach out to our team to explore Cybersecurity Apprenticeship pathways tailored to your business needs.