Rural jobs initiative announced at State of the State
New partnership with Local First Arizona Rural Development Council aims to strengthen talent pipelines across Arizona
[NEWS RELEASE] With a focus on building opportunity for all Arizonans, Governor Ducey announced in his State of the State Address a new partnership with the Local First AZ Rural Development Council (AZRDC). Recognizing that “small business is the backbone of our economy,” the Rural Jobs Initiative will focus on getting rural Arizonans back to work while bolstering our local economies.
According to federal statistics, Arizona’s job growth rates are flourishing – ranking our state as having the fourth fastest-growing economy in the country. Yet, in taking a closer look at the numbers, we realize the data gathered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the US Census Bureau is significantly skewed by the growth of metro Maricopa County; overlooking the dire reality of rural Arizona.
*2018-2020 Projections: Source – The Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity
It is projected that thousands of manufacturing, construction, and healthcare jobs remain open in each county. On one hand, there simply are not enough people to meet the demands of the growing needs. On the other, those being trained for the positions lack the necessary skills industry employers require. In fact, 98% of colleges nation-wide believe they are producing a skilled workforce, while only 11% of business leaders agree.
“In our work in rural Arizona, we continue to see a disconnect between employers and educators. This is resulting in a “No Workers vs No Jobs” disparity that is inaccurate and holistically problematic for rural development. Our hope is that TPM® may be a part of the solution, and we look forward to working with Governor Ducey to grow employment in Arizona’s rural area” said Liza Noland, Arizona Rural Development Council’s Director of Rural Programs.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has created a nationally-vetted program to provide a strategic alignment between classroom and career. Talent Pipeline Management (TPM®) is a uniquely employer-led approach to workforce development. Industry leaders collaborate to analyze data, standardize competencies, and communicate data-driven workforce needs with talent providers to enhance their talent pipelines and address other workforce challenges specific to their region.
To implement the TPM framework, the AZ Rural Development Council will convene industry collaboratives by region to determine mutual pain points in staffing and upskilling. From there, the Collaboratives will gather accurate workforce data, draft standardized job descriptions and identify talent providers that can meet the needs identified throughout the guided process. A shared language between employers will allow for stronger partnerships with training and education partners, making a positive return on investment much more likely.
By engaging rural employers in the strategic development of skill-based talent pipelines, standardized position descriptions can be developed, marketing job opportunities to disconnected youth and other non-traditional workforce sources can be enhanced, and relationships between educators and the business sector can be improved in rural communities across the state.
ARIZONA RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
https://www.localfirstazfoundation.org/growing-arizonas-small-town-economies
The Arizona Rural Development Council (AZRDC) is the state’s official federally-recognized State Rural Development Council in the National Rural Development Partnership. The AZRDC became an initiative under the Local First Arizona Foundation (LFAF) in 2013 and has since focused on building a more diverse, inclusive and self-reliant economy for communities of all sizes. LFAF and AZRDC develop innovative programs that are improving Arizona’s economic future by driving resources into under-served communities in rural and urban settings.
