ARIZONA – The state of Arizona reported unprecedented economic growth, experiencing a rapid increase in construction projects throughout the entity and developing a large pipeline of jobs, the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) noted.
According to ACA, as of September 2023, the Phoenix metropolitan area ranked number two in the nation for industrial property supply pipelines with more than 51.1 million square feet of space under construction.
In addition, he noted that Arizona’s workforce continues to grow with key partnerships between industry, government and academia. Recently, Governor Katie Hobbs, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and the Industrial Commission of Arizona announced the Voluntary Protection Program, a project that seeks to provide workplace safety, covering the 12,000 construction workers currently on site supporting TSMC’s Phoenix project.
In August 2023, Governor Hobbs also announced BuilditAZ Apprenticeship, a statewide initiative to double the number of registered construction and trades apprentices by 2026. This program focuses on increasing access to apprenticeship training for women and other underrepresented students while increasing postsecondary attainment.
“I am proud to bring TSMC and Arizona workers together to create secure, well-paying jobs, expand our middle class and invest in the future of our economy,” Hobbs said.
Arizona’s construction talent pipeline has grown substantially in recent years as project activity soared. Between 2017 and 2022, the state experienced the second-fastest job growth in the country in that industry.
Arizona added more than 50,000 construction jobs from 2017 to 2022, also adding 3,900 construction jobs in August, according to the August 2023 Employment Report released by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity. The state is projected to add 37 thousand new construction jobs by 2031.
Comprehensive training programs are developing a pipeline of skilled construction talent to build tomorrow’s projects. Mesa Community College, Arizona Western College, Pima Community College, West-MEC and more offer a variety of construction-related programs to prepare students to enter the construction workforce.
In addition, education-industry partnerships focus on creating a talent pipeline to support the state’s economic growth. In March 2023, McCarthy celebrated the grand opening of its Innovation and Craft Workforce Center (ICWC) in Chandler. The Center serves McCarthy’s 500 Arizona-based and 2,000 Arizona-based craft professionals and regional business partners and facilitates craft training.
The facility will also support the development of Arizona’s future construction workforce by partnering with local Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs such as East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT), Western Maricopa Education Center (West-MEC), ACE Mentor Program of America and various other college and K-12 programs.
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