Gov. John Carney joined 20 other governors in forming the Skillful State Network, a national collaboration to transform the U.S. labor market.

The Network expands upon an initiative launched in Colorado by the Markle Foundation that used data to find gaps in the labor market of the digital economy and help train new employees to fill those roles.

Now state partners in the Network will share and elevate ideas and practices to achieve specific workforce goals, including aligning education with industry, providing date to job seekers, or training employers skilled-based practices.

"As governors, we are joining together around a shared commitment to support a variety of career paths to good-paying jobs, and expand the talent pool for employers who need skilled workers to grow," said Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. "We twenty governors, Republican and Democrat, are serious about transforming our labor markets in ways that will benefit our nation for decades to come. In a short time, Colorado's partnership with Skillful has provided incredible value in supporting a skills-based, industry-driven talent marketplace."

"In just our formative conversations, I am so inspired by the variety of programs as well as cutting-edge pilots each Skillful State Network member is bringing to the table," said Beth Cobert, CEO of Skillful. "Each state is unique, yet shares a commitment to collaboration, experimentation, and progress."