Humanity Innovation Labs

Last night, the Pikes Peak Business & Education Alliance (PPBEA) hosted its 8th Regional Career Pathway Summit for the Pikes Peak region at Sand Creek High School in Colorado Springs—bringing together over 300 educators, industry leaders, and community partners committed to building the future workforce.

This year’s summit reflected the strength and momentum of PPBEA’s mission—aligning education and industry through career-connected learning. With more than a dozen breakout advisory boards, conversations focused on actionable pathways across sectors, all centered on workforce readiness and real-world application.

Stephanie Hubbard proudly serves as Chair of the Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering Advisory Board, where our work is deeply aligned with the Colorado Department of Education and the state’s “Big Three” framework for postsecondary and workforce readiness:

12 college credits
Industry credential or apprenticeship
Work-based learning (30+ hours, internships, or industry-sponsored projects)

The goal is clear: every student graduates with at least one of these experiences, ensuring they are prepared for both career and continued education.

The impact across the region is already tangible:

1,780 students enrolled in pathway programs
5,219 career-connected learning interactions
4,431 unique job postings in 2025
Strong participation from over 40 industry representatives

This is what a homegrown talent pipeline looks like for El Paso and Teller Counties.

The summit and specifically the advanced manufacturing & engineering advisory showcased powerful collaboration between education and industry:

*Student-led insights, including a compelling CTE testimonial
*Industry-sponsored projects tackling real manufacturing challenges
*Internship pathways focused on automation, programming, and entry-level skills
*Engineering lab tours highlighting hands-on learning in CNC, 3D printing, and advanced fabrication
*Special Recognition: Board & Presenters

A sincere thank you to our Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering Advisory Board—a dedicated group of 11 members spanning education and industry—who continuously put in the work to move this ecosystem forward. Your leadership, alignment, and commitment are what make this pathway real and scalable.

A special callout to our presenters and contributors who brought the session to life:

*CTE student voice (LUNA), grounding the work in real experience and impact
*Education leaders (Annie Peterschick and Ken Cox D49) who shared the latest on the Big Three framework and how it translates into opportunity
*Industry partners advancing internships, automation, and entry-level skill development (Joel Orn - Entegris)
*Manufacturing leaders showcasing Industry-Sponsored Projects (ISP), including real-world design challenges like wafer handling solutions (Batina Alosis - Comp2026)
*Regional collaborators creating competitions and hands-on challenges that connect students directly to industry needs
*Engineering educators who opened their labs, demonstrating the next generation of talent working across CNC, 3D printing, and advanced manufacturing technologies (Samantha Baumgartner - Microchip)

This level of collaboration—across board members, presenters, and partners—is exactly what makes PPBEA’s model so impactful.

Call to Action
If you’re a local manufacturer or industry partner in the Colorado Springs region and want to play a role in shaping the next generation workforce, now is the time to get involved. Whether through internships, industry-sponsored projects, or advisory participation—there’s a clear path to engage and make an impact.

Let’s continue creating a workforce ecosystem that is not only responsive—but future-ready.

Check Out The Latest News: https://www.fox21news.com/news/local/summit-aligns-education-with-workforce-needs-in-pikes-peak-region/

This educators that vibe design challenge was phenomenal and the collaboration between the teachers using generative ai tools to create solutions to challenges they face every day in the classroom, was practical and forward leaning. Thank you for partnering together and bringing this to the educators.