Arizona industry leaders in career development, educational institutions, and employer partners are joining together to launch the Arizona Coalition for Career Readiness.

The coalition’s goal is to provide residents’ with career development opportunities to help meet the workforce goals outlined in Achieve60AZ, an initiative that aims to help 60% of Arizona adults attain a postsecondary degree or credential by 2030.

“Meaningful career exploration and development starting in middle and continuing through high school and college results in more successful employees because students are fulfilling their own goals and pathway choices,” Katherine Pappas, Pipeline AZ senior vice president, shared in a press release. “Not all Arizona students have access to local career information and the knowledge of how to connect to learning opportunities to help them get there and we are dedicated to changing that.”

Founding coalition members include Arizona Business and Education Coalition, Junior Achievement of Arizona, Center for the Future of Arizona, Valley of the Sun United Way, and Pipeline AZ.

These five organizations have collaborated to ease workforce transitions and bridge existing career journey gaps by combining resources and expanding outreach and programmatic efforts, according to the press release.

This includes MyFutureAZ, an initiative to give k-12 students enrolled in Arizona public schools access to Pipeline AZ’s toolkit.

“Technology, cybersecurity, construction and heavy equipment are among the fastest growing industries seeking new talent,” Jim Zaharis, Arizona Business and Education Coalition executive vice president, stated.

The Opportunities for Youth Grant through Valley of the Sun United Way and Pipeline AZ provides Arizonans aged 16-24 who are not working or in school with expanded access to education and employment opportunities such as hands-on, work-based learning, apprenticeships, and mentoring experiences.

“Arizona, like much of the nation, is experiencing significant and persistent disparities in educational equity. Rural communities are among some of the most underserved students in the state, and this coalition will utilize its collective resources to improve outreach in these areas,” Melissa Boydston, Valley of the Sun United Way senior vice president of community development and engagement, stated.

Click here to learn more about the Arizona Coalition for Career Readiness.