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Arizona: Highly Skilled Talent

Supplying the Next Generation of Talent

As Arizona continues to grow at one of the fastest rates in the nation, the state’s population provides a strong pipeline of skilled talent with a drive for innovation. The state's job opportunities and premier quality of life attracts workers every year, with a momentum that’s only growing.

#1

County for Attracting and Retaining Talent – Maricopa County
Lightcast Talent Attraction Scorecard, 2023

#1

Fastest Growing County in the U.S. – Maricopa County
U.S. Census Bureau 2021

TOP 2

Largest Production Occupations Job Growth in the Nation
Lightcast, 2024

TOP 3

State for Workforce
CNBC, 2023

TOP 3

State for Job Growth Between 2018-2022
Lightcast Attraction Scorecard, 2023

TOP 5

Skilled Jobs Growth Between 2018-2022
Lightcast Attraction Scorecard, 2023

 

 

The State Everyone Wants to Call Home

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Arizona’s workforce of 3 million has added more than 487,000 people since 2015. With more than 70 percent of the state's population born outside of Arizona, its clear people are flocking to Arizona for boundless opportunity and an unmatched quality of life.

11.9%

Population Growth Rate from 2010 to 2020
Higher than the U.S. average of 7.4%

2.8M+

Arizona is Projected to Add 2,810,080 People 
Between 2020-2050

TOP 5

Fastest Growing State – Arizona

U.S. Census Bureau, 2022

5th

Largest city in the USA – Phoenix


 

 

Talent Training Solutions

Arizona's approach to workforce development is collaboration. We bring together academia, industry and community leaders and more to design customized solutions to meet private-sector needs.

 

 

Future 48 logo

The Future48 Workforce Accelerators are Arizona’s latest workforce advancement, connecting students with the skills and know-how needed for jobs in the state’s growing advanced manufacturing industry such as semiconductor, battery, automotive, aerospace & defense and more.

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Investing in Semiconductor Workforce Infrastructure

The Arizona Commerce Authority has invested $100 million to strengthen Arizona's semiconductor ecosystem, focusing on the rapid development, commercialization and manufacturing of next-generation U.S. semiconductor technologies. The ACA is collaborating with industry partners to identify and address research infrastructure and workforce needs. Investments from the ACA include:

ASU logo
$47.5M

Investment to Arizona State University's Applied Materials/ASU Materials to Fab (MTF) Laboratory.

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U of A logo
$35.5M

Investment to the University of Arizona's Micro/Nano Fabrication Center.

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NAU logo
$13M

Investment to Northern Arizona University's Metrology program, research and training.

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semi logo
$4M

Investment to launch first U.S. Apprenticeship Program for Manufacturing Facility Technicians.

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Semiconductor Quick Start Program

In partnership with Intel and TSMC, Maricopa Community Colleges offers an affordable two-week program that prepares students for careers as semiconductor technicians through hands-on learning led by private-industry instructors.

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Arizona's Talent Suppliers

Arizona is home to a world-renowned university system and one of the largest community college systems in the country. The trio of state universities and the community and private colleges are committed to preparing students for promising futures in leading industries.

122

Universities and Community Colleges

630,000+

Post-Secondary Students Enrolled

222

Schools Offering Career & Technical Education

Public Universities

Community Colleges

Private Universities & Colleges

Arizona K-12 Education


Arizona’s diverse and innovative education system prepares students for tomorrow’s workforce. The system includes magnet schools for the arts, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and other specialties, as well as high-quality public and private schools. Moreover, the state’s public and charter schools have near-universal open enrollment so parents may send their children to a school of their choice.

Arizona has more charter schools than any other state with one in five students in Arizona attending a charter school. BASIS Charter Schools, founded in Arizona over 25 years ago, has many locations across the state and due to its success has expanded to states across the nation. These schools are routinely listed on “best high schools” lists with BASIS Tucson North recently named the best high school and best charter high school in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and has 11 of the top 100 high schools in the nation. In Arizona, BASIS students boast an average 95 percent AP exam pass rate and 100 percent of graduates are accepted to a four-year college or university.

Arizona's Workforce News

11/13/2025
ACA Opens Call for Events During Inaugural Arizona Tech Week

PHOENIX, AZ (November 13, 2025) – As Arizona continues to strengthen its position as a global leader in technology and innovation, the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) today announced it is accepting event submissions for Arizona Tech Week—the state’s first-ever decentralized, statewide tech conference. Taking place April 6–12, 2026, the weeklong celebration will feature events across Arizona, spotlighting the state’s dynamic tech ecosystem. Arizona Tech Week will showcase Arizona’s innovation leadership, leveraging a distributed event model that empowers the tech community to host affiliated events through a simple, host-managed approval process. Those interested in hosting an event at Arizona Tech Week are invited to submit their event form on the Arizona Tech Week website.

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11/6/2025
RoviSys Celebrates Opening Of New Office In Tempe

TEMPE, AZ (November 6, 2025) – RoviSys, a leading provider of automation and information solutions, yesterday celebrated the opening of its new over 9,000-square-foot office located in Tempe, Arizona. The Arizona office represents a key expansion of North American operations for RoviSys and will support up to 100 new jobs over the next several years. RoviSys & RoviSys Building Technologies provide automation and information solutions to support a variety of industries including biotechnology, life sciences, data centers, semiconductors, energy, and more. The Tempe office enhances the company’s ability to deliver specialized solutions to these expanding markets with an immediate focus on data center sector opportunities and a long-term strategy for growth in life sciences and semiconductor manufacturing.

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