States are restructuring education and workforce systems to align curriculum more directly with labor demand, with Missouri serving as a prominent early example and Colorado moving toward a similar model. Missouri consolidated higher education and workforce agencies in 2019, creating the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development to address employer needs for credentials in high-need industries. Missouri’s effort is tied to funding mechanisms such as MoExcels, which in 2025 invested $54 million across public institutions, including $9.1 million for advanced manufacturing efforts. Commissioner Bennett Boggs said workforce needs now play a central role in program evaluation, funding, and approvals. Colorado is attempting to merge higher education, labor, and workforce systems into a single department through a 2025 executive order and legislation, reflecting a broader push toward career-aligned program design and faster adaptation to the labor market.