Building Wyoming’s Workforce Pathways: How gener8tor Skills Accelerator Helped Launch Bryan Badley’s IT Career
A graduate spotlight from the NSF ASCEND Engine – Gener8tor Skills Accelerator partnership
Expanding access to technical training in Wyoming is critical to developing the talent pipeline that future industries depend on. - Dr. Amber Rahn, Director of Workforce and Regional Engagement at the NSF ASCEND Engine
Building Skills for Wyoming’s Future Workforce
Preparing the workforce of the future starts today. That’s why, last year, the NSF ASCEND Engine in Colorado and Wyoming partnered with gener8tor Skills Accelerator to provide free virtual training opportunities in rural Wyoming communities.
The gener8tor Skills Accelerator offers online workforce training, including one-on-one career coaching, networking opportunities, and continuous job placement support. The pilot program focused on building rural Wyoming’s foundational skills in data analytics, program management, and IT, with a target of enrolling—and graduating—at least 50 participants by the end of the year.
That goal was reached by October, 2025. According to the NSF ASCEND Engine’s Wyoming Workforce Development Manager, Steven LeBlanc, the inaugural year exceeded expectations.
In our first year of Gener8tor Skills programming in Wyoming, courses in data analytics, program management, and IT foundations reached graduates in more than 18 communities, with over a dozen participants immediately securing new employment as a result.
LeBlanc continues. “We’re excited to continue working with the gener8tor Skills Accelerator team to continue expanding this program in Wyoming, with an increased focus on AI skill development to meet Wyoming’s evolving workforce needs.”
Meet Bryan Badley
Bryan Badley of Cheyenne, Wyoming, is one of the recent graduates.
Badley first learned about the training through Instagram. Already interested in transitioning from building maintenance into IT—and actively working toward his CompTIA ITF+ certification—the opportunity felt like a natural next step. That decision was further reinforced by Cheyenne’s growing focus on attracting data centers to the region.
Bryan’s favorite part was the opportunity to meet other people in his cohort, who were from all over Wyoming. He also enjoyed the IT Fundamentals coursework. The training fit well with Bryan’s work, as it was largely self-paced with a few weekly meetings with his training cohort and his coach.
Since completing the gener8tor certificate, Badley has secured a position in critical infrastructure operations at one of Cheyenne’s data centers. This role combines his previous work in building maintenance with IT work on the center’s servers.
When asked, Badley said he would absolutely recommend gener8tor training. He also noted that he still gets support from the program: “They still hit me up, see if I want to go to networking events, and they have a job board and other resources,” he says.
The gener8tor program is just one of several initiatives undertaken by the NSF ASCEND Engine to support upskilling and talent development across Wyoming.
“Expanding access to technical training in Wyoming is critical to developing the talent pipeline that future industries depend on,” said Dr. Amber Rahn, Director of Workforce and Regional Engagement at the NSF ASCEND Engine. “Through our partnership with gener8tor, ASCEND is laying the groundwork for durable career pathways in technology-driven fields while ensuring that rural and frontier communities are fully included in the region’s innovation economy.”