For students weighing their futures and job seekers navigating new career directions, the journey often begins with a question: What does that job really look like?
A new partnership between Arizona PBS and nonprofit Pipeline Connects provides some much-needed answers with a cinematic twist.
The two organizations have joined forces to launch a video series that spotlights real careers inside Arizona’s high-demand industries. These two-minute videos, hosted on the Pipeline AZ platform, offer a “day in the life” perspective of various occupations, all filmed with the storytelling quality Arizona PBS is known for.
It’s a visually driven way to demystify career pathways and could change how Arizona builds its workforce, especially in semiconductors. “This partnership allows us to use the power of storytelling to bring real-world careers to life,” says Scott Woelfel, general manager at Arizona PBS. “We’re proud to help shine a light on high-demand industries and inspire viewers to see what’s possible for their future.”
It’s no secret that Arizona’s rapid rise as a semiconductor and advanced manufacturing hub has created a new kind of pressure: ensuring the state’s workforce is ready to keep pace. It is an issue that not only Arizona feels, but also the nation. With industry investments soaring and thousands of skilled jobs on the line, aligning education with opportunity has never been more critical.
That’s the premise behind Pipeline Connects, which operates PipelineAZ.com. A new Arizona PBS initiative unveiled in April with support from the state’s top industry, education and workforce leaders aims to streamline the path from classroom to career. The platform connects users to more than 850 career pathways and nearly 7,000 local education and training programs. But this collaboration adds something new: an emotional, visual dimension.
“These real-world-perspective videos help companies build talent pipelines by exposing students and job seekers to career paths they may not have otherwise considered,” says Amber Smith, CEO of Pipeline Connects.
Each video profiles actual employees at Arizona-based companies, giving a look inside specific roles, from technical jobs in clean energy and semiconductors to opportunities in healthcare and logistics. Employees offer their perspectives on company culture, work-life balance and what the job means — making career exploration more tangible and relatable.
“Pipeline Connects has the potential to transform how Arizonans access career opportunities,” says Jamie Finkenthal, executive producer and education partnerships lead at Arizona PBS. “We’re creating a central hub that empowers individuals to build skills and employers to find ready talent.”
In a state where semiconductor investment has surpassed $200 billion and tech is reshaping the labor market, initiatives like this can fill critical gaps in the pipeline, especially for technician roles and skilled trades that support industries from advanced manufacturing to aerospace.
And with Arizona PBS reaching 80% of households statewide, the partnership offers a level of visibility most workforce efforts don’t.
As Arizona works to develop the infrastructure behind its economic boom from fabs and data centers to workforce training and housing, the ability to connect people to real, rewarding careers will be key. That’s where this project stands out.
As Finkenthal notes, “Arizona is writing the playbook for how public media can help build a modern workforce.” And they’re starting with one powerful question: What if you could see your future before it starts?
