The Attainment Network

The Attainment Network is a Colorado-based nonprofit organization focused on transforming the state's education-to-career systems. It operates by building and strengthening collaborative networks among K-12 schools, postsecondary institutions, and local employers. The core of its mission is to create equitable pathways that enable all learners, particularly those from underserved backgrounds, to secure employment with family-sustaining wages. The organization was formerly known as the Denver Education Attainment Network (DEAN) and rebranded to better reflect its expanding role in aligning partners to accelerate systems change.

The organization functions as a strategic partner and consultant, driving collaboration to meet local workforce demands in sectors like healthcare and construction. Its services are structured to support partners through discovery, design, and implementation phases, offering strategic planning, landscape analysis, career pathway development, and data framework creation. A key operational tenet is centering the voices and experiences of students and workers to ensure the systems being built are responsive to their needs. This is achieved through initiatives like the L/EARNER VOICE SYMPOSIUM, which provides a platform for individuals to share insights on navigating career exploration and job preparation.

The Attainment Network is a partner project of the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center (CNDC), which provides fiscal sponsorship and back-office infrastructure. This relationship allows The Attainment Network to focus on its programmatic goals. The organization is led by CEO Rana Tarkenton, who brings extensive experience from roles at the University of Colorado Denver, the Denver Scholarship Foundation, and the Colorado Department of Higher Education. The business model relies on funding from grants and contributions, channeled through its fiscal sponsor, to support its collaborative projects and consulting services offered to communities and educational institutions across Colorado.

Keywords: education-to-career pathways, workforce development, postsecondary success, career-connected learning, education and employment equity, learner pathways, strategic partnerships, education consulting, skills training, apprenticeship programs, Colorado workforce, community collaboration, systems change, postsecondary attainment, career exploration, job preparation, learner voice, student success, talent pipeline, education systems reform