$6.4 Million in Funding to Maricopa Community Colleges Advances Careers

Maricopa County residents have another avenue to access training and employment programs – the Maricopa County Community College District.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors approved more than $6.4 million in funding this week to provide career development opportunities for county residents through the community college system. The funding is designed to help a minimum of 250 students enrolled in approved programs at Maricopa County Community Colleges through December 2024. Services offered with the funding will include career training, education, and career navigation.

“To meet the demands of a new economy and ensure a good quality of life in our region, we need to do more than recruit new companies and businesses to Maricopa County. We also need to make sure our residents have the skills to perform those in-demand jobs,” said Chairman Clint Hickman, District 4. “By partnering with our excellent community college system on career training and advancement, we will be giving job seekers access to more opportunities in the region and employers a wider pool of qualified candidates from which to choose.”

The Board’s decision to allocate these federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars comes just a few weeks ahead of Community College Month. Celebrated each year in April, the observation calls attention to the important role that community colleges serve, including providing highly-trained people ready to join the local workforce upon graduation.

In addition to providing more than $6.4 million in career development and training opportunities for community college students, Maricopa County has prioritized additional workforce initiatives to cultivate a skilled workforce, including:

• A $14.5 million investment for training and credentialing workers for in-demand career fields
• A $12 Million investment to expand apprenticeship opportunities
• A $1.3 million investment to fund construction career opportunities
• A $750,000 investment in a nurse readiness program
• Opening a Workforce Development Center in Mesa and partnering with the Maricopa County Library District to expand access to career training resources in the East Valley

For more information on the workforce and other support programs available, visit Maricopa.gov/HSD and find financial, housing, legal, wellness, and educational assistance available at Maricopa.gov/Rescue.