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. The initiative is aimed towards meeting the building needs of our growing 21st-century economy – from housing to semiconductor fabs to broadband and electric vehicle infrastructure. To design the initiative, the Office of Economic Opportunity convened a working group in 2024 to create a multifaceted plan to meet this ambitious goal. As a result of their work, in April 2024 Governor Hobbs announced $650,000 in grants to five construction and trades registered apprenticeship programs.
In November 2024, Governor Hobbs announced an additional $1M in available grant funding to expand the BuildItAZ initiative. The funding will be used to support registered apprenticeship programs to recruit more apprentices, retain apprentices already enrolled, and provide wrap-around services like child care and transportation.
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Related News:
- Governor Katie Hobbs Announces $1 Million to Expand BuildItAZ Apprenticeships to Reach More Arizonans
- Arizona Announces BuildItAZ Apprenticeship Initiative Grant Awards to Expand the Construction and Trades Workforce
- Governor Katie Hobbs Kicks Off Apprenticeship Week With New Efforts to Expand Construction Apprentices in Arizona