Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 3, Issue 3

36 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 largest community college systems, has nearly 24,000 students enrolled in manufacturing and engineering programs. MCCCD provides specialized training programs that connect workforce opportunities with local companies. Likewise, Arizona State University, ranked the most innovative university seven years in a row by U.S. News and World Report, has nearly 25,000 students enrolled in engineering programs – a 170% increase since 2010. Arizona has another big advantage going for it: a steady flow of new residents. From 2010 to 2019, Arizona had the fourth-highest net in-migration of any state (Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity/BLS). In addition, the Phoenix metro area added nearly 200,000 working age residents between 2016 and 2020, the highest in the country during that time. Startups Blossom Just as Arizona is adding residents, the state is attracting record startup capital. According to data from PitchBook , Arizona startups secured nearly $1.9 billion in 2021, a new record for the state, a sign of its rapidly expanding community of entrepreneurs. Following years of targeted, focused growth, Arizona’s economic development landscape is more diverse than ever. With new residents flocking and a highly-developed talent base, Arizona’s potential looks as full and promising as a desert sunrise. *Submitted by Arizona Commerce Authority www.azcommerce.com January, Governor Ducey proposed building six additional advanced training manufacturing centers throughout Arizona. In collaboration with private industry, the centers will offer customized, hands-on training in advanced fields such as semiconductors, batteries, and electric vehicles. Education On Board Bolstering the state’s manufacturing talent pipeline is a broad network of higher education players. The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD), one of the nation’s