Maricopa Community Colleges and Chandler-Gilbert Community College joined Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, the Arizona Commerce Authority, and industry partners to officially celebrate the grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Arizona’s first-of-its-kind Aerospace & Defense-focused Future48 Workforce Accelerator in Mesa, Arizona. “The Future48 Workforce … [More]
Why Arizona’s Supportive Housing Shortage Is Becoming a Workforce Challenge
Companies have meaningful opportunities to become part of the solution
For years, conversations about supportive housing for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have largely centered on compassion, independence and quality of life. Those priorities remain critically important. But today, Arizona faces another consequence of its housing shortage that deserves equal attention: the growing impact on our workforce and … [More]
ASU’s London Expansion Builds a New Talent Bridge to Arizona
Michael Goodwin was less than a minute into his remarks when he made clear to the audience of 300 or so gathered for the opening of ASU London, a new independent, U.K.-degree-awarding higher education provider founded by ASU, exactly why they were there. “We’re here to celebrate the opening of what we believe will become one of the pioneering new providers of higher … [More]
Valley Partnership Targets Skilled Trades Shortage with High School-to-Career Pipeline
As the nation recognized National Tradesmen Day on September 18, attention turned to the urgent need to prepare the next generation of skilled trades professionals. An estimated 2.1 million skilled trades positions nationwide could go unfilled by 2030, according to the U.S. Department of Education, a workforce challenge that cannot be solved through recruitment alone. It … [More]
New Workforce Center in Phoenix to Anchor Statewide Push for 100,000 Jobs
The Black Chamber of Arizona and HeroZona Foundation will anchor the new Arizona Legacy Center, a workforce and economic-opportunity hub opening at 1 S. 24th St. in Phoenix. The organizations will work with Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport's community outreach initiatives and other public- and private-sector partners to expand business growth, workforce opportunity, … [More]
Multifamily Operator Takes In-House Training National with 460-Plus Course Launch
Mark-Taylor Consulting officially launched The Academy, a national training and workforce development platform providing skills-based instruction, professional development and industry-recognized certifications. Built from more than four decades of multifamily operating experience, The Academy brings Mark-Taylor’s established internal training model to the broader business … [More]
Phoenix’s Data Center Boom Is Changing What Trade Schools Teach
National Technical Institute (NTI), a state-approved trade school, is launching a new Data Center Technician program at its Phoenix campus, opening a direct path to one of the fastest-growing careers in the country. The curriculum prepares graduates for both the installation and construction side of data center development and the maintenance and operations of facilities once … [More]
Sprouts to Add 200 Valley Jobs as Local Footprint Grows
Sprouts Farmers Market plans to add 200 full- and part-time jobs as it expands its Greater Phoenix presence with two new stores opening this fall in Scottsdale and Mesa. The Scottsdale location, at 1480 N. Scottsdale Road, is scheduled to open Oct. 30 and will bring 109 jobs to the community. The Mesa store, at 1110 W. Southern Avenue, Suite 1, will open Nov. 6 with 91 … [More]
ASU Among Eight Universities Leading National Manufacturing Workforce Initiative
Arizona State University is among eight universities selected to lead a national initiative focused on preparing the next generation of workers to advance American manufacturing. The Foundry School, a U.S. Department of State initiative in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor, was announced today in Washington, D.C., by Vice President J.D. Vance. The school is … [More]
Is the ‘Big Stay’ Finally Coming to an End? What Arizona Employers Should Know
After several years of uncertainty, today's workforce may finally be regaining the confidence to make career moves. New Robert Half research finds that 46% of U.S. professionals plan to look for a new job during the second half of 2026 — up from 38% earlier this year and just 27% one year ago. The findings suggest that many workers who previously stayed put are beginning to … [More]
Networking Now – Warm Connection or Cold Transaction?
A growing majority of Americans say networking feels more like a thinly veiled transaction rather than relationship‑building — and a recent survey by Express Employment Professionals and The Harris Poll shows just how pervasive that discomfort has become. According to the survey, 79% of U.S. hiring managers and 75% of job seekers say networking today feels more like a … [More]
Are RTO Mandates Really about Collaboration and Productivity?
Survey reveals 1 in 2 workers believe return-to-office mandates are about corporate control and lack of trust
Workers have heard the pitch: Return to office to get that hard-to-define special feeling of vibrant communication and collaboration that post-COVID workplaces seem to lack. They're not persuaded, according to a survey we recently conducted among workers — fully in-office, fully remote and hybrid — about return-to-office mandates. When asked what RTO mandates are really … [More]
ASU Opens Faster Path to Teacher Certification as Schools Face Staffing Shortages
Arizona State University is launching its first three-year bachelor's degree programs, giving education students the option of an accelerated curriculum for certain paths while maintaining the academic quality and clinical preparation expected of an ASU education. Developed by the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation, the programs are believed to be … [More]
GCU Targets Arizona Workforce Needs with New Law and Skilled-Trades Colleges
Grand Canyon University begins another academic year with record enrollment and plans to expand its academic offerings in two dramatically different but equally important areas: law and the skilled trades. GCU expects to serve a record 141,000 students during the 2026-27 academic year, continuing a period of remarkable growth that has positioned it as the largest Christian … [More]
National Trades School Expands into Arizona with 90K-SF Tempe Campus
Lincoln Educational Services Corporation, a national leader in specialized technical and skilled trades training for 80 years, announced plans to expand into the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area with its first campus in the state, to be located in Tempe. The new campus, which is the Company's 26th campus, will occupy approximately 90,000 square feet in North Tempe, with … [More]
New Workforce Training Targets Burnout, Communication in Nursing
University of Phoenix has launched Nursing Communication and Resilience, a new professional development training pathway designed to help healthcare organizations strengthen communication skills, support workforce resilience and equip nursing teams with practical tools for navigating high-pressure care environments. "As healthcare organizations continue to support employees … [More]
$250K Investment Launches Walmart’s Multi-Year Phoenix Workforce Initiative
Walmart announced a multi-year workforce development grant in Phoenix as part of a broader effort to help workers build skills, connect to quality jobs and advance their careers in a labor market being reshaped by artificial intelligence and other technological change. Over the next five years, Walmart and Walmart Foundation aim to help workers across select communities move … [More]
Hiring Disconnect Grows as 44% of Companies Report Unfilled Jobs
The hiring process itself may be getting in the way of filling open jobs, as U.S. companies report more unfilled roles, longer timelines and positions closing without a hire while job seekers say automated systems are making it harder to feel heard, according to a newly released Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey. The disconnect comes as 44% of U.S. hiring … [More]
