Workforce Development Plays a Crucial Role in Business Attraction and Retention

In the world of economic development, attracting and retaining businesses is paramount for communities seeking growth, stability, and prosperity. While factors such as infrastructure, taxation, and regulatory environment play pivotal roles, an often-underestimated linchpin in this process is workforce. Availability of a skilled and adaptable workforce helps drive local economic success.

Workforce as a Key Determinant: When businesses contemplate relocating or expanding operations, the availability of a quality workforce is a primary consideration. A community's ability to provide a well-trained talent pool directly influences a business's decision-making process. Workforce development initiatives that focus on honing relevant skills and competencies can significantly enhance a community's appeal to potential investors.

Matching Skills to Industry Needs: A workforce aligned with the demands of local industries is an asset that cannot be overstated. By strategically tailoring workforce development programs to match the skill sets required by existing and prospective businesses, a community can ensure a steady pipeline of qualified candidates. This alignment not only fosters business growth but also enhances the region's reputation as an industry hub.

Enhancing Business Competitiveness: Workforce development contributes to the overall competitiveness of businesses operating within a community. A highly skilled workforce improves productivity, efficiency, and innovation, enabling businesses to stay ahead in a dynamic market. Moreover, businesses in communities with strong workforce development initiatives are better equipped to adapt to technological changes and industry shifts.

Retaining Homegrown Talent: Effective workforce development programs can stem the outmigration of local talent, fostering a sense of loyalty to the community. When individuals have access to quality education, training, and career advancement opportunities, they are more likely to remain in their hometowns, contributing to the long-term growth and stability of the local economy.

Collaborative Ecosystems: Successful workforce development often involves collaboration between educational institutions, businesses, and local governments. This collaborative approach fosters an ecosystem where stakeholders work together to identify skill gaps, design relevant curricula, and provide training that aligns with industry needs. Such partnerships enhance a community's attractiveness to businesses seeking a supportive environment for growth.

Workforce Development Programs in the Phoenix-Mesa Metro: Here are just a few examples of workforce development programs being implemented in the metro area to meet the immediate needs of industry.

• Cable Harness Wiring Boot Camp is a partnership between Mesa Community College and the Boeing Company to teach skills needed at Boeing’s large aerospace manufacturing facility in Mesa.ⁱ
• Cleanroom Technician Certification, conducted by the Arizona Advanced Manufacturing Institute, is a 10-day boot camp to develop the skills needed to fill semiconductor fab talent requirements. The program is a partnership between Maricopa Community Colleges and semiconductor companies in the Phoenix-Mesa metro area.ⁱⁱ
• The Arizona State University AZNext Program is designed to create a workforce development ecosystem that addresses the need for more skilled workers in IT, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing roles. This program is a collaboration between the W.P. Carey School of Business, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, and New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. AZNext brings together employers, workforce development networks, economic development organizations, and industry partnerships, while creating a model for replication across the Southwest and greater U.S.ⁱⁱⁱ
• Arizona’s Reskilling and Recovery Network (RRN) addresses the near-term challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated economic downturn, as well as needed structural alignment between economic development and workforce development from a policy and programmatic perspective. This is a coordinated effort between Arizona Community College Coordinating Council and Arizona@Work.^iv
• The Caregiver Career Pathway (CCP) is a technology that uses an interactive “map” to illustrate the various paths that, starting as a Direct Caregiver, an individual can take to gain the required experience, skills, and credentials needed for a life-long career in Arizona’s healthcare system. The program is implemented by the Arizona Long-Term Care System Workforce Development Alliance (ALTCS WFDA) in coordination with Arizona Department of Economic Security.^v
• The Construction Careers Program provides a pathway that will connect high school graduates and those with a GED to careers in the construction industry and other in-demand careers where skilled labor is in high demand but short supply. This program is a public/private partnership between Maricopa County and Chicanos Por La Causa and Grand Canyon University.^vi
• Pipeline AZ is a collaborative network for Arizona job seekers and employers that provides access to jobs, education, and career support services.^vii
• Job Connect Mesa is a comprehensive, one-stop online portal for employers seeking employees and training for employees, as well as for individuals seeking jobs, career guidance, educational resources, or basic needs assistance. The portal features more than 30 organizations, non-profits, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, job boards, and local and federal governmental entities providing much needed services to the community. Job Connect Mesa was created by the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development (Mesa OED).^viii

In 2022, Mesa OED in collaboration with multiple city departments and after much research, surveys, focus groups, and analysis, developed the City of Mesa Workforce Strategy: Respond, Support, Adapt. This strategy was created in response to changes in the labor market during and immediately following the COVID-19 pandemic that affected businesses negatively. Today, with the newly developed strategy in place, Mesa has an opportunity to help overcome these challenges and create solutions to gain competitive ground on economic peer cities and regions. Efforts are aligned to achieve the following three goals:

1. Providing equitable access to resources and support for Mesa Jobseekers and employers.
2. Identifying and mitigating the skills gap in hiring.
3. Expanding job opportunities for workers and retention of employees for businesses.

To learn more about the City of Mesa’s workforce development strategy, visit the comprehensive report. 

In today’s competitive landscape, workforce development has never been more important. The interconnectedness of workforce development and business success underscores the need for collaborative efforts that leverage education, training, and partnerships to create a thriving ecosystem.

References

ⁱ https://www.mesacc.edu/workforce-development/azami/cable-harness-wiring-boot-camp, 2023
ⁱⁱ https://info.maricopacorporate.com/semiconductor, 2023
ⁱⁱⁱ https://wpcarey.asu.edu/aznext, 2023
^iv https://arizonacommunitycolleges.org/reskilling-recovery-network/, 2023
^v https://azahp.org/azahp/awfda-altcs/caregiver-career-pathways-project/#:~:text=What%20is%20The%20Caregiver%20Career,career%20in%20AZ's%20Healthcare%20system., 2023
^vi https://www.maricopa.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2509, 2022
^vii https://pipelineaz.com/, 2023
^viii https://www.selectmesa.com/business-environment/workforce/mesa-job-connect, 2023

Mesa Mayor John Giles appointed to National Electric Vehicle Working Group

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation recently announced that Mesa Mayor John Giles has been appointed to the federal committee charged with guiding the widespread adoption of electric vehicles across the country.

Mayor Giles, the only mayor and elected official, is among the 23 members of the Electric Vehicle Working Group (EVWG), a collection of EV industry, automotive, policy experts and leaders who will make recommendations directly to the secretaries of Energy and Transportation.

"With extreme weather events and rising temperatures becoming more and more common, it's more important than ever that we take steps to significantly reduce carbon emissions. Vehicle electrification not only reduces our impact on the environment, but it also lessens costs in city government and creates high-tech and high-wage jobs," said Mayor Giles. "I'm proud of the steps Mesa and Arizona have already taken to embrace EVs, and I look forward to furthering that work as a member of the Electric Vehicle Working Group."

Mesa has emerged as a magnet for advanced manufacturing and supply-chain innovation in the EV marketplace. The City of Mesa is also developing a communitywide Electric Vehicle Charging Master Plan that will guide decisions on policy and infrastructure investments that accelerate the transition to EVs.

The EVWG will focus on facilitating the adoption of electric vehicles among low- and moderate-income individuals and underserved communities; assessing the costs of vehicle and EV battery manufacturing and shortages of raw materials for batteries; identifying charging infrastructure, grid capacity, and EV cybersecurity needs; addressing grid capacity and integration; and identifying charging infrastructure regulatory issues.

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation was created through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to strengthen collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Transportation to deploy a national network of electric vehicle chargers, zero-emission fueling infrastructure, and zero-emission transit and school buses.

Arizona is home to a thriving marketplace of EV and battery manufacturers, research and development centers, suppliers, and a competitive talent pipeline. And Mesa is at the epicenter of this growing ecosystem and home to the following: Cirba Solutions, Li-Cycle, Urbix Resources, Exro Technologies, Hyundai Transys, Nxu, and others.

Unlock customized business support with your Mesa Business License

Applications for the Mesa Business Builder (MBB) Small Business Assistance Program are now open. The program, designed to help Mesa's small businesses grow, offers free customized consulting, industry boot camps and business education opportunities to eligible small businesses licensed by the City of Mesa.

"Investing in small business is an investment in Mesa's economy," said Mesa Economic Development Director Bill Jabjiniak. "Mesa Business Builder programs provide our small business community with the tools they need to grow and thrive."

A link to the application is now posted on Mesa HUUB (myhuub.com/mesa), a free online community aimed at small business owners, which is supported by the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development. Find MBB Small Business Assistance Program details at MesaBusinessBuilder.com.

"This program helped me learn what I needed to do in my business to make it successful and grow," said Tabitha Holmes, owner of House of Holmes, which offers a variety of fashion design services. This includes pattern making, grading, and manufacturing cut-and-sew products from apparel to tactical gear.

Holmes utilized customized consulting for strategic planning to best prepare for growth. "My consultant asked questions and had me do some work on my business to better prepare me as I add employees and take on new customers." She now employs 18.

Assistance is delivered as one-on-one consulting on topics such as marketing, business operations, finance, social media, strategic planning and more, as well as industry-specific training programs at no cost to the eligible business. The program does not provide direct financial assistance, but each business receives a package of support based on the applicant's needs.

The program is aimed at businesses with 25 or fewer full-time employees that are physically located in Mesa and have a valid Mesa General Business License.

The Mesa General Business License is required by most businesses operating in the city. The application fee is $10 through the end of 2023. Businesses are encouraged to apply for their license online at mesaaz.gov/business/licensing. The business license number is required when filling out the MBB Small Business Assistance application.

The MBB Small Business Assistance Program, now in its third year, assisted more than 200 Mesa businesses during the past two years. Additionally, Mesa HUUB - a digital platform offering more than 100 webinars, online networking, grant information and other resources - currently is supporting 732 Mesa businesses.

Program assistance is available on a first-come, first-served basis through April 30, 2024, or until funds are exhausted. Learn more at MesaBusinessBuilder.com.