Maricopa County training pilot program in Queen Creek ends

Workforce 2 You, an accelerated career-training program for rural communities in Maricopa County has wrapped up its pilot program in Queen Creek.

On Sept. 11, the county held a ceremony in Queen Creek to recognize the first participants to complete the pilot program, which offered credentials in health care, including medical administrative assistant and medical billing and coding.  

Along with Queen Creek, Maricopa County Workforce Development, in partnership with the Maricopa County Library District, also provided the Workforce 2 You  trainings in Gila Bend and Wickenburg.  

Brittany Conklin, a communications manager for the county, stated that the program will be continued next year, with the time and host communities to be announced later.

The program was funded through a $500,000 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act grant provided by the Governor’s Office and approved by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in November 2023.

The one-year pilot program supported youth, dislocated workers, veterans and other groups most in need of workforce services in rural areas of the county.

“Typically, these programs cost $20,000 per student but were available at no-cost to participants and all enrollments were full, with a waitlist for programs in Gila Bend,” according to a county press release. 

The Queen Creek ceremony took place at Communiversity, 21740 S. Ellsworth Road.

For more on the county’s Workforce Development programs, visit https://bit.ly/4db4Jrk.