The Black Chamber of Arizona and HeroZona Foundation will anchor the new Arizona Legacy Center, a workforce and economic-opportunity hub opening at 1 S. 24th St. in Phoenix. The organizations will work with Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport's community outreach initiatives and other public- and private-sector partners to expand business growth, workforce opportunity, … [More]
Multifamily Operator Takes In-House Training National with 460-Plus Course Launch
Mark-Taylor Consulting officially launched The Academy, a national training and workforce development platform providing skills-based instruction, professional development and industry-recognized certifications. Built from more than four decades of multifamily operating experience, The Academy brings Mark-Taylor’s established internal training model to the broader business … [More]
Phoenix’s Data Center Boom Is Changing What Trade Schools Teach
National Technical Institute (NTI), a state-approved trade school, is launching a new Data Center Technician program at its Phoenix campus, opening a direct path to one of the fastest-growing careers in the country. The curriculum prepares graduates for both the installation and construction side of data center development and the maintenance and operations of facilities once … [More]
Sprouts to Add 200 Valley Jobs as Local Footprint Grows
Sprouts Farmers Market plans to add 200 full- and part-time jobs as it expands its Greater Phoenix presence with two new stores opening this fall in Scottsdale and Mesa. The Scottsdale location, at 1480 N. Scottsdale Road, is scheduled to open Oct. 30 and will bring 109 jobs to the community. The Mesa store, at 1110 W. Southern Avenue, Suite 1, will open Nov. 6 with 91 … [More]
ASU Among Eight Universities Leading National Manufacturing Workforce Initiative
Arizona State University is among eight universities selected to lead a national initiative focused on preparing the next generation of workers to advance American manufacturing. The Foundry School, a U.S. Department of State initiative in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor, was announced today in Washington, D.C., by Vice President J.D. Vance. The school is … [More]
Is the ‘Big Stay’ Finally Coming to an End? What Arizona Employers Should Know
After several years of uncertainty, today's workforce may finally be regaining the confidence to make career moves. New Robert Half research finds that 46% of U.S. professionals plan to look for a new job during the second half of 2026 — up from 38% earlier this year and just 27% one year ago. The findings suggest that many workers who previously stayed put are beginning to … [More]
Networking Now – Warm Connection or Cold Transaction?
A growing majority of Americans say networking feels more like a thinly veiled transaction rather than relationship‑building — and a recent survey by Express Employment Professionals and The Harris Poll shows just how pervasive that discomfort has become. According to the survey, 79% of U.S. hiring managers and 75% of job seekers say networking today feels more like a … [More]
Are RTO Mandates Really about Collaboration and Productivity?
Survey reveals 1 in 2 workers believe return-to-office mandates are about corporate control and lack of trust
Workers have heard the pitch: Return to office to get that hard-to-define special feeling of vibrant communication and collaboration that post-COVID workplaces seem to lack. They're not persuaded, according to a survey we recently conducted among workers — fully in-office, fully remote and hybrid — about return-to-office mandates. When asked what RTO mandates are really … [More]
ASU Opens Faster Path to Teacher Certification as Schools Face Staffing Shortages
Arizona State University is launching its first three-year bachelor's degree programs, giving education students the option of an accelerated curriculum for certain paths while maintaining the academic quality and clinical preparation expected of an ASU education. Developed by the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation, the programs are believed to be … [More]
GCU Targets Arizona Workforce Needs with New Law and Skilled-Trades Colleges
Grand Canyon University begins another academic year with record enrollment and plans to expand its academic offerings in two dramatically different but equally important areas: law and the skilled trades. GCU expects to serve a record 141,000 students during the 2026-27 academic year, continuing a period of remarkable growth that has positioned it as the largest Christian … [More]
National Trades School Expands into Arizona with 90K-SF Tempe Campus
Lincoln Educational Services Corporation, a national leader in specialized technical and skilled trades training for 80 years, announced plans to expand into the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area with its first campus in the state, to be located in Tempe. The new campus, which is the Company's 26th campus, will occupy approximately 90,000 square feet in North Tempe, with … [More]
New Workforce Training Targets Burnout, Communication in Nursing
University of Phoenix has launched Nursing Communication and Resilience, a new professional development training pathway designed to help healthcare organizations strengthen communication skills, support workforce resilience and equip nursing teams with practical tools for navigating high-pressure care environments. "As healthcare organizations continue to support employees … [More]
$250K Investment Launches Walmart’s Multi-Year Phoenix Workforce Initiative
Walmart announced a multi-year workforce development grant in Phoenix as part of a broader effort to help workers build skills, connect to quality jobs and advance their careers in a labor market being reshaped by artificial intelligence and other technological change. Over the next five years, Walmart and Walmart Foundation aim to help workers across select communities move … [More]
Hiring Disconnect Grows as 44% of Companies Report Unfilled Jobs
The hiring process itself may be getting in the way of filling open jobs, as U.S. companies report more unfilled roles, longer timelines and positions closing without a hire while job seekers say automated systems are making it harder to feel heard, according to a newly released Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey. The disconnect comes as 44% of U.S. hiring … [More]
The Small Business Talent Crunch Is Making Hiring a Global Decision
Small businesses continue to struggle to find qualified workers. In June 2026, 84% of small business owners hiring or trying to hire reported receiving few or no qualified applicants, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. That pressure can make nearby international markets appear to be a quick geographic solution. But choosing a country before defining … [More]
Skilled Trades, Big Opportunity in the Construction Boom
How Arizona business leaders can help close the workforce gap
Arizona is in the middle of the largest construction boom in its history, and the trades workforce needed to sustain it is shrinking. TSMC's $165-billion semiconductor campus in North Phoenix alone is expected to generate more than 40,000 construction jobs over four years. Add the surge of data centers and industrial expansion across the Valley, and the challenge becomes clear: … [More]
West-MEC Launches Largest Campus with Ribbon Cutting, Phase II Groundbreaking
West-MEC celebrated a major milestone with the grand opening of its new Southeast Campus and the ceremonial groundbreaking for Phase II of the project. West-MEC leadership, Governing Board members, elected officials, industry partners, and community leaders gathered to mark the occasion. The celebration began with a ceremonial groundbreaking for Phase II, highlighting the … [More]
Scottsdale Co. Partners to Expand Career Development for Dental Hygienists
Spear Education, a provider of advanced dental education and dental workforce enablement solutions, and Kwikly, a workforce platform connecting dental professionals with practices nationwide, announced a partnership to improve continuing education and career development opportunities for dental hygienists. Eligible Kwikly hygienists receive access to Spear Education's Hygiene … [More]
