Additionally, the city is committed to greening the downtown area by adding more trees and irrigation systems before the centennial celebration, making the area more aesthetically pleasing and inviting for pedestrians. A VISION FOR WORKFORCE AND PUBLIC SERVICE DEVELOPMENT Coolidge is strategically investing in its human capital through partnerships that directly link education with local job opportunities. The recent annexation of Central Arizona College (CAC) into the city brings its main campus, with over 7,853 students across five campuses. City Manager Lopez also serves on their board. CAC is instrumental in providing specialized training, including the DRIVE 48 program, tailored for advanced manufacturing. This program is designed to train employees for Lucid Motors’ powertrain and drivetrain work at the former Nikola facility, ensuring a skilled local workforce for one of the city’s major employers. Furthermore, a technical school called the Central Arizona Valley Institute of Technology (CAVIT) in Coolidge, offers 22 programs including advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity. “They work together with Central Arizona College, through a dual degree program, where they can get a degree at CAC but also at CAVIT,” Lopez explains, highlighting how the program allows students to earn both a high school diploma and college credits or certificates. These certificates provide direct pathways to entrylevel positions with companies like Lucid and other businesses located in the city’s 2,700-acre rail-served industrial park, one of Arizona’s largest. 37 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 08 COOLIDGE, AZ
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