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 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.