ARIZONA – A new report from Lightcast, a global leader in labor market analytics, ranks Arizona and Maricopa County as national leaders in adding jobs and skilled workers over the past five years.
Maricopa County ranked No. 1 on Lightcast’s Talent Attraction Scorecard for the sixth time in the past seven years. This ranking also marks the fourth consecutive time Maricopa County has led the nation in talent attraction.
Arizona placed a remarkable third in the Talent Attraction Scorecard, behind Texas and Massachusetts. The state also ranked fifth in skilled job growth.
Arizona’s attractiveness to new residents was a major factor in the ranking. Maricopa County experienced the largest numerical population growth in 2022, with 56,831 new residents.
The report reflects Arizona’s highly collaborative and innovative workforce development programs and continued attractiveness to advanced companies in sectors such as manufacturing and technology.
In 2021, the state launched Drive48, a state-of-the-art training center south of Phoenix that is a collaboration between Central Arizona College, Pinal County and industry. Since opening, more than 2,600 Lucid employees have completed programming, which includes hands-on training with assembly robots and other equipment critical to electric vehicle manufacturing.
Building on the success of Drive48, earlier this year, Governor Hobbs announced the first two of a total of six Future48 workforce accelerators. These accelerators represent a partnership with Mohave Community College in Kingman and Arizona Western College in Yuma.
In November, Governor Hobbs announced a third Future48 workforce accelerator, located in Maricopa County and focused on the semiconductor industry.
Also in November, Governor Hobbs announced key actions to strengthen Arizona’s talent pipeline in the semiconductor sector. Initiatives include a first-of-its-kind registered apprenticeship program, a partnership between the ACA, OEO, DES and NXP, an advanced semiconductor manufacturer that operates two fabs in Chandler. The company’s program will begin with the occupation of industrial manufacturing technician and will explore other occupations in the future.
The state has also pioneered an advanced training curriculum, known as the Arizona Advanced Technology Network, while continuing to invest in skills training at universities and community colleges.
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