Arizona is in the middle of the largest construction boom in its history, and the trades workforce needed to sustain it is shrinking. TSMC’s $165-billion semiconductor campus in North Phoenix alone is expected to generate more than 40,000 construction jobs over four years. Add the surge of data centers and industrial expansion across the Valley, and the challenge becomes clear: Arizona faces more than 50,000 projected trades job openings through 2034, and the pipeline to fill them is critically thin.
I have spent 45 years in this industry, starting as an electrical apprentice at Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant and eventually becoming CEO of Rosendin Electric Inc., the nation’s largest employee-owned electrical contractor. Having watched the labor gap widen over the last decade, I believe private industry must take the lead on addressing workforce shortages, and for business leaders who want to act, registered apprenticeship programs are one of the most proven tools available.
What a Registered Apprenticeship Actually Is
A registered apprenticeship is an industry-driven, earn-as-you-learn pathway validated by the U.S. Department of Labor or a State Apprenticeship Agency. Apprentices receive paid work experience, a mentor, progressive wage increases, classroom instruction and a nationally recognized credential. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 93% of completers retain employment after finishing their program. In Arizona, roughly 320 registered programs currently serve just under 9,000 active apprentices statewide. The numbers are growing, but not fast enough.
Why Traditional Recruitment Falls Short
The core problem is awareness. I’ve spoken with more than 500 high-school-age students in recent months, and what strikes me every time is how few have ever heard the phrase “registered apprenticeship” in any meaningful way. What’s more concerning is that some high school counselors have never seen the national apprenticeship registry.
We have conditioned an entire generation to equate success with a four-year degree. Shop classes have largely disappeared from K-12 education. Counselors are not equipped to guide students toward trades pathways. As a result, students waste time and money on programs that do not match their goals, and the contractors who need their talent never get the chance to reach them.
What Companies Can Do Right Now
Building a reliable skilled trades pipeline starts before a student ever walks onto a job site. Employers who build relationships early with schools and training programs produce apprentices who show up ready and stay.
That commitment is already producing results across Arizona. For example, the GCU pre-apprenticeship program now places graduates directly into registered apprenticeship programs statewide. TSMC has partnered with the City of Phoenix and Grand Canyon University to create a clean room technician pipeline following the same model.
Registered apprenticeships work because they address every part of the problem. Students gain a structured, paid pathway into a career without the burden of student debt, while employers gain a workforce they helped develop, trained to their standards from day one. When those two outcomes align, Arizona’s construction economy has the foundation it needs to meet the demands of the next generation of construction projects. The demand is already here and the programs are in place. What the industry needs now is for its leaders to step in, invest early and help connect the students who are ready to work with the careers that are ready for them.
How the Greenawalt Foundation Supports Registered Apprenticeships
The Greenawalt Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to creating pathways to prosperity through the skilled trades. The Foundation is investing in the skilled trades and the community through scholarships to high school seniors and grants to registered apprenticeship programs and community organizations. To apply, partner or learn more, visit greenawaltfoundation.org.
Mike Greenawalt is the founder and chief visionary officer of The Greenawalt Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Arizona dedicated to creating pathways to prosperity through the skilled trades. He is a 45-year veteran of the construction industry and former CEO of Rosendin Electric, Inc.
