On June 29 -30th, the Pinal County Workforce Development Board, the Workforce Arizona Council, the Maricopa County Workforce Development Board, and the City of Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board joined forces for the first-ever Arizona Workforce Summit. The Summit at the Desert Willow Conference Center was designed to connect leaders from workforce development, economic development, and education to facilitate collaboration, innovation, and collective action. Close to 300 attendees participated each day.
Day 1 included opening remarks by Governor Katie Hobbs, an overview of the ARIZONA@WORK structure and landscape by the Workforce Arizona Council, and national perspectives by the National Association of Workforce Boards and National Governors Association.
Day 2 focused on more local perspectives. Pinal County was well represented by Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Jeffrey McClure on a panel of local elected officials, County Manager Leo Lew on an economic development panel, and Liz Tuck representing the Pinal County Workforce Development Board on a workforce panel. A panel of educators included Dr. Jackie Elliott, Central Arizona Arizona College President, and Joel Villegas of the Pinal County Education Service Agency (School Superintendent's Office).