Community colleges educate a significant portion of our communities’ current and future workforce, serving as key producers of local talent and providers of workforce training. For example, today, in the Phoenix, Arizona metro area, Maricopa Community Colleges educate more Arizona residents than any other college or university in the state, positioning us as the leading producer of homegrown talent and the largest provider of workforce training.
With 10 colleges and 31 satellite locations, our expansive footprint ensures we meet students where they are, in the neighborhoods they call home. Each day, our expert faculty, staff and instructors help expand the minds of more than 140,000 learners, imparting knowledge that inspires students to dream bigger and go further as they become the changemakers, innovators and community leaders of tomorrow.
This educational approach aligns with goals for strengthening K-12 partnerships, expanding workforce development and ensuring wraparound student support. As Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor Steven R. Gonzales, explains, “Our colleges have long been workforce innovators, connecting students to the hands-on training, critical thinking and technical knowledge needed to be successful in the ever-evolving workforce. By leveraging our business and industry partnerships, we can incorporate their feedback in the classroom to ensure our students are ready to take on the real world.”
The evolving needs of workforce development
Workforce readiness has never been more critical or complex than it is today. As industries rapidly transform through automation, artificial intelligence and other technological advances, the skills gap continues to widen. Community colleges respond to these emerging requirements with an agility that serves their specific mission within the higher education landscape. To meet industry demands, colleges now rely on quick curriculum updates, stackable credentials that build toward degrees and targeted training programs aligned with immediate workforce needs.
Community colleges play a complementary role alongside universities and technical schools in the innovation ecosystem. Each institution type contributes unique strengths to workforce development, creating a comprehensive educational network that serves the diverse needs of students.
The challenge for community college leaders is to develop talent pipelines that power the innovation economy by identifying skills gaps and creating targeted training programs. This requires deep engagement with industry partners who can provide insight into current and future workforce demands.
Creating resilient local economies through diversification
Economic resilience depends on diversification. When communities rely too heavily on a single industry, they become vulnerable to market fluctuations and technological disruption.
Community colleges strengthen local economies by developing training programs that support multiple industry sectors simultaneously. This approach fosters a workforce that can adapt during economic shifts, ensuring communities maintain their economic vitality even when specific industries encounter challenges.
The connection between workforce development and economic resilience is direct and measurable. When workers possess skills that transfer across industries, they maintain employment even as the economy evolves.
Community colleges drive economic diversification by connecting industry needs with research capabilities. In Arizona, this approach has succeeded as colleges have developed programs supporting emerging sectors, such as advanced manufacturing, healthcare technology and renewable energy, alongside traditional industries.
This balanced approach creates a resilient economy that can withstand market fluctuations while positioning communities for future growth.
Building industry-education partnerships that work
Effective workforce development requires collaborative leadership between education and industry. When community college leaders proactively engage with local businesses, both institutions benefit. Colleges gain insight into evolving skill requirements, while businesses secure a pipeline of qualified workers trained specifically for their needs. These partnerships are most effective when founded on mutual respect and shared objectives.
Organizations like Arizona’s Partnership for Economic Innovation serve as neutral conveners in Arizona, bridging the communication gap between educational institutions and industry. This model addresses the challenge of creating sustained dialogue that transforms into actionable workforce solutions. Through these structured connections, community colleges gain direct access to business community leaders, aligning their goals and values to ensure that students develop skills through a curriculum that meets regional industry needs as the region continues to grow and innovate.
Successful partnership models exist across the country. In Maricopa County, we’ve seen manufacturing companies collaborate with colleges to design training programs that address specific technical skills gaps.
These partnerships often begin with the establishment of advisory boards. The BILT model is a proven method for strategic employer engagement supported by the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education program.
A BILT differs from a traditional business advisory committee (BAC), which typically convenes only once a year to approve curriculum presented by faculty. The BILT model insists that business and industry experts “co-lead” programs and validate the job skills students will learn.
Given the level of engagement and empowerment, these collaborations evolved into collaborations where businesses provide equipment, internship opportunities and sometimes even instructors. Breaking down traditional barriers between education and business creates opportunity through collaborative leadership that benefits students, employers, and communities alike.
Success stories in manufacturing workforce development
The semiconductor industry’s growth in Arizona created an urgent demand for skilled technicians. Responding to this need, community colleges established technician programs strategically placed across the valley to maximize student access and meet industry talent requirements. This initiative demonstrates how community colleges can rapidly mobilize resources to address critical workforce shortages.
The program development process begins with industry consultation to identify specific skills and competencies needed. Working closely with semiconductor manufacturers, we designed a curriculum that aligns with industry standards and incorporates hands-on training using relevant equipment. Program completers quickly secure interviews with industry partners, often leading to well-paying positions.
The Industry Sector Navigator Model supports this industry-responsive strategy. Campus Navigators serve in a role that combines student support with industry readiness. The purpose of the navigator position has made significant improvements in attracting and retaining students seeking a career pathway that ultimately changes lives.
With scaling in mind from the outset, Maricopa Corporate College, a division of the Maricopa Community Colleges’ Workforce and Economic Development Office, built automated communications and workflows to support this multi-college strategy and its unique, streamlined student journey. With two new workforce accelerators related to semiconductor and aerospace and defense industries being developed, thanks to an investment by the Arizona Commerce Authority, via the leadership of Gov. Katie Hobbs, we are now in the process of onboarding additional colleges and developing an advanced level two technician program that creates upward mobility pathways for level one completers.
Industry collaboration challenges and solutions
Community colleges face a persistent challenge in providing industry-relevant training without the latest equipment and facilities. Many institutions lack the resources to purchase and maintain specialized technology that is constantly evolving. This creates a gap between classroom learning and workplace requirements, particularly in advanced manufacturing and healthcare technology.
The solution emerges through strategic partnerships. When semiconductor employers in Maricopa County needed semiconductor technicians, the traditional approach would have been prohibitively expensive for any single institution. Instead, a collaborative model was developed, where industry partners identified specific skill needs, the government provided funding support, and colleges delivered the instruction. This three-way collaboration built training capacity across multiple locations, ensuring both geographic access for students and talent development for employers.
Rural communities present additional complications. Geographic isolation limits access to training facilities, creating workforce development deserts. Our Workforce 2 You initiative, in collaboration with Maricopa County’s Human Services Department, addresses this problem by bringing healthcare and engineering technician programs directly to rural areas. This mobile approach removes transportation barriers while addressing critical skills gaps in multiple sectors. The program demonstrates how targeted interventions can simultaneously solve access problems and meet industry needs.
Expanding your college’s impact on the innovation ecosystem
Community colleges often struggle to maximize their impact on regional innovation due to limited resources and competing priorities. Many institutions focus primarily on traditional academic programs without fully leveraging their potential as catalysts for economic development. This approach misses opportunities to transform bold ideas into action that creates real economic impact.
Successful innovation requires bringing together the right partners and resources. Community colleges serve as natural conveners, connecting industry, government and educational institutions around shared goals and objectives. When these partnerships focus on market needs, they accelerate commercialization and create high-quality jobs. This market-driven approach ensures innovation investments deliver tangible benefits to the community.
Supporting core industries through applied research and strategic partnerships represents another pathway to impact. Community colleges can develop specialized research capabilities that address industry-specific challenges. These capabilities complement university research while focusing on practical applications that benefit local employers. By aligning research activities with industry needs, colleges contribute directly to regional competitiveness and innovation capacity.
Deeper partnerships
Community colleges serve as vital connectors in the innovation ecosystem, bringing together education, industry and economic development. Work in Arizona demonstrates how these institutions create resilient local economies through targeted workforce development programs that respond to market needs.
We must strengthen these connections through deeper industry partnerships that anticipate skills gaps rather than simply reacting to them. By working together across traditional boundaries, we can create collaborative networks that power economic growth while opening doors of opportunity for all community members. Our active engagement in these partnerships will shape how our institutions drive both student success and regional prosperity.
