C-Tech is proud to announce our partnership with Colorado State University Pueblo through their Adelante Connect program. Earlier this year, four staff members from Adelante Connect received C-Tech instructor training in Valley Center, CA through an existing Certified Training Facility partnership with All Tribes Charter School and American Indian Media Concepts. These instructors have gone on to bring broadband training to Pueblo Area community members at CSU’s Thomas Healy Center for Business and Economic Research, a facility on the CSU Pueblo campus dedicated to the mission of enhancing education and economic development in Southern Colorado.
Pueblo – Home to over 111,000 according to the 2020 US census – sits at the confluence of the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek. With both Pueblo Community College and CSU Pueblo, the city is a nexus for education within Colorado. CSU Pueblo hosts nearly 4,000 students and is dedicated to interdisciplinary learning and entrepreneurship. With 34% of the student body being Hispanic, the university is a designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).
Colorado State University Pueblo is also an emerging Minority Serving Institute. This, along with its HSI status, made the university eligible for The National Telecommunications and Information Association’s Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program grant. In 2023, CSU Pueblo received 2.98 million dollars to implement a two-year pilot program with the goal of increasing broadband connectivity and success to underserved communities in Pueblo. Up to 36 communities within the city may be eligible for assistance through the Adelante Connect Program.
“CSU Pueblo recognizes the need for reliable, affordable, and robust broadband opportunities for the community of Pueblo,” said CSU Pueblo President, Dr. Timothy Mottet, “We are pleased that we will facilitate increased access to a broadband connection that will positively impact the students and families we serve, many whom reside in economically disadvantaged or minoritized neighborhoods that traditionally have little to no internet access.”
The program is strengthened by key partners through in-kind and strategic support including:
Pueblo City-County (Rawlings) Library District will provide classroom space, technology access, and marketing support to expand community reach.
Pueblo Workforce Center will contribute career exploration tools, connecting participants with employment pathways and long-term career planning resources.
Pueblo Small Business Development Center resources will support participants in resume building, including the use of AI-enabled tools to enhance job readiness.
AECON, Intrepid, Utilities One, TAK, Congruex, Metronet, Mission Telecom, and Adams Electric will support job placement by aligning graduates with current labor market opportunities and employer demand, serving as Guest Lecturers, and participating in the Advisory Committee.
T-Mobile will support the internet needs of program participants through donation of hotspot and internet. As well as participating in the Advisory Committee.
In January, the first cohort of Adelante Connect students attended C-Tech Fiber Splicing Training at The Healy Center. Twenty-seven people received their C-Tech certifications.
“It was inspiring to bring together Twenty-seven participants from across Southern Colorado for this first hands-on experience. Their enthusiasm and dedication made it fun, and we were so excited to see our students/community members gain their first industry-recognized C-Tech certification!” Said Dana Lambert, CSU Pueblo’s Digital Equity Director, “We are grateful to be part of the C-Tech learning community”
“This partnership has created a powerful pathway from hands-on classroom learning to real-world careers, giving students the skills and certifications needed to step directly into the workforce,” said Adam Geisler, President of AIM Concepts.
C-Tech is excited to be a part of this collaboration for digital equality within the Pueblo, CO community. Through the Adelante Connect Pilot Program, 80 participants (40 annually) will receive training in multiple broadband connectivity disciplines. With an estimated 90% completion rate, the two-year program will result in over 430 industry recognized certifications by the time of the pilot program’s conclusion.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Colorado State University Pueblo in expanding access to certified broadband training that empowers individuals, strengthens communities, and prepares the workforce of tomorrow,” said David L. Brady, President and CEO of C-Tech.
