The mission of Trinidad State College extends beyond education, President Dr. Rhonda Epper says. Along with the Emergent Campus Trinidad, it serves as the region’s economic development organization.
“In the Trinidad-Las Animas County area, we don’t have an economic development entity,” Epper says. “We saw a need and felt like we could help by filling that role to increase economic development in our community. It’s kind of a natural fit for the college, because we already have a role in workforce development.”
The strategy is to attract new businesses to the area with the lure of employees who possess the skills they need, and to create well-paying jobs that will make it possible and desirable for local young people to stay in the community.
Emergent Campus Trinidad is helping to support entrepreneurs and incubate small businesses, and the City of Trinidad and Las Animas County have designated Emergent as their economic development liaison, Executive Director Christine Louden says.
The economic development efforts don’t end at the county lines.
“We are working to support the south-central Colorado region, from Cañon City and Pueblo out to the San Lus Valley and Huerfano and Las Animas counties,” Epper says. “Trinidad State is working closely with Pueblo Community College to strengthen our training and educational programs in the IT and advanced manufacturing fields.”
The college received a $3.5 million Opportunity Now grant in July 2024 to create several computer information systems programs. The four-semester Associate of Applied Science degree in computer information systems (CIS) offers three specializations: cybersecurity, Cloud administration and database administration. Students can obtain certification in each area by completing a shorter-term program and can apply those credits if they decide to pursue a full CIS degree.
“We’re trying to focus our efforts on creating a skilled workforce pipeline in areas where students can earn a living wage, so these programs lead to good-paying jobs,”
~Trinidad State College President Dr. Rhonda Epper
A $5.75 million grant through the U.S. Department of Labor, received in March, enabled the college to create two new advanced manufacturing programs. An Associate of Applied Science in robotics and automation technology focuses on design, programming, maintenance and operation of the systems and machinery used in modern industry. A computer-aided drafting AAS degree imparts the skills needed for computer-aided drafting technician jobs, and students earn certifications in Sketchup, Revit and SolidWorks design software.
“We’re trying to focus our efforts on creating a skilled workforce pipeline in areas where students can earn a living wage, so these programs lead to good-paying jobs,” Epper says. “Ideally, we would hope that we could attract industry or companies to Trinidad to create these jobs. In the meantime, students will be able to find jobs in other areas where they can make a good living, and it may be that they can find remote work and still be able to live here.”
The college also is using the Department of Labor grant to upgrade and expand its advanced manufacturing training labs, which include welding and construction — industries that use high-tech equipment, she says.
The college offers a two-year entrepreneurial operations certificate program that covers business, management and marketing skills. The school has created a makerspace in its newly renovated library that’s available to businesses for prototyping new products, learning new skills and taking short workshops through the Continuing Education Division. A recent offering was an AI class.
Trinidad State’s partnership with Emergent Campus enables students to find internships and jobs through Emergent’s connections with prospective employers.
“They’re serving as a career center for the college,” Epper says. “We have 38 businesses in Trinidad who are working with us on internships.”
Options are open to Trinidad State students in Florence and Cañon City through Emergent’s flagship campus in Florence also.
Louden has reached out to Mytikas Manufacturing, which will soon open a plant in Florence that will make luxury park model homes. She has communicated to Epper the kinds of jobs Mytikas will be looking to fill in the next year or two and is working with Mytikas to develop internships for students in the Trinidad State computer-aided drafting program.
“We haven’t had a student complete one of these courses yet, but those are the kind of partnerships that Emergent Campus is helping to form for the college,” Epper says. “We’re trying to make these connections and open opportunities for internships, apprenticeships and jobs. Ultimately, I’d love to have a little version of Mytikas or some other type of small industry starting up here in Trinidad.”