Talent Ready AZ
Talent Ready AZ is a workforce and education initiative that is working to achieve the Governor’s vision of an Arizona for everyone by providing Arizonans access to education and training that lead to good-paying jobs. Talent Ready AZ is working to create education and training opportunities into high-demand and high-growth industries that are shaping the future economy of the state.
The target industries include:
- Advanced manufacturing
- Construction trades
- Clean Energy jobs
- Broadband, Telecommunications, & IT
- Early Childhood Education & Child Care
- Aerospace & Defense
- Healthcare
- Cybersecurity
The Talent Ready AZ initiative includes a number of efforts to coordinate the state’s workforce assets, to build strong relationships with industry and higher education, and to support students and adults seeking education and training to obtain jobs in these industries.
Executive order on Creating the Governor’s Talent Ready AZ Workforce Cabinet
Watch the Press Conference Announcing Talent Ready AZ
Talent Ready AZ includes the following initiatives:
The Governor’s Workforce Cabinet
The Workforce Cabinet was created in September 2024 to implement and coordinate actions, policies, programs, and engagement across state government to meet Arizona’s workforce needs. Learn more about the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet.
The Arizona Community College Workforce Scholarship
In April, Governor Katie Hobbs announced the creation of the Arizona Community College Workforce Scholarship Program, in partnership with Arizona’s community colleges, aimed at fostering a skilled workforce tailored to the evolving demands of Arizona’s growing and thriving economy. Learn more about the Community College Workforce Scholarship.
Future48 Workforce Accelerators
Led by the Arizona Commerce Authority, the Future48 Workforce Accelerators are creating partnerships between the community colleges and industry to offer customized training for jobs in advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, battery manufacturing, aerospace and defense and more. Learn more about the Future48 Workforce Accelerators.
BuildItAZ Apprenticeship Initiative
Led by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity, BuildItAZ is working to double the number of construction and trades registered apprentices by 2026. Learn more about BuildItAZ.
Building Arizona’s Healthcare Workforce
Arizona’s need for doctors, nurses, behavioral health, and allied health professions is growing sharply. The Office of Strategic Initiatives is working with its partners and state leaders to meet these needs. Learn more about Arizona’s Healthcare Workforce.
Developing an Advanced Manufacturing Workforce
Arizona’s advanced manufacturing sector is growing at a rapid rate. With significant investment from both the State of Arizona and the federal CHIPS Act, Arizona is America’s manufacturing renaissance and reshoring of semiconductors, renewable technologies, and other critical industries. Arizona state agencies, universities, colleges and K-12 partners are responding to create and scale efforts to meet the workforce needs of this growing industry sector. Learn more about Arizona’s Advanced Manufacturing Workforce.
Ready Tech Go
ReadyTechGo is an initiative led by the Office of Economic Opportunity that brings together four community colleges to offer the Automated Industrial Technology program that provides students with essential skills for jobs in advanced manufacturing. The curriculum is front-loaded, so students can be prepared for a job in as little as two weeks. Students can pursue further certifications in high-demand fields such as electric vehicles, semiconductors, medical devices, and aerospace. The entire program can be completed in two years and culminates in an associate degree. For more information, visit ReadyTechGoAZ.com.
Arizona Apprenticeship Week
Arizona is home to more than 270 Registered Apprenticeship programs and more than 8,300 apprentices. While many are in traditional fields such as construction, the majority of Arizona apprenticeships are in new and emerging fields, such as cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing.
Arizona Apprenticeship Week, celebrated this year from November 17-23, 2024, is an opportunity to highlight all apprenticeships in Arizona and their value in setting Arizonans on pathways for career success and upward mobility.
Learn more about Arizona Apprenticeship Week.