(The Center Square) – Gov. Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity have announced the state is investing millions of dollars into the BuildItAZ Apprenticeship Initiative.
This program aims to provide a pathway for individuals to secure employment in the construction industry. So far, it has helped nearly 3,000 Arizonans get internships.
Hobbs noted the program will receive more than $1 million in grants, which will be used to increase training program capacity in the state, helping more Arizonans enter construction careers. In addition, some of this money will go toward child care and transportation.
The Arizona governor said BuildItAZ will get a $3 million investment to help the state reach its goal of doubling construction apprenticeships by 2026.
“Creating opportunity for working class Arizonans is critical to realizing the Arizona Promise,” Hobbs said.
The state has made itself a “national and international economic giant,” the governor said. She added that businesses are relocating to Arizona, which is creating more job opportunities, particularly for skilled construction workers.
“Increasing construction apprentices is core to building Arizona’s future, whether it’s new manufacturing facilities, new roads, or new housing, and I am proud of the progress we have made to ensure Arizonans are at the center of it all,” she said.
OEO Director Carlos Contreras said BuildItAZ has connected “thousands of Arizonanas with thousands of Arizonans with earn-while-you-learn career pathways that are jobs from day one with competitive wages, and a nationally recognized credential.”
Contreras explained that to meet Arizona’s 2026 goal, the state will need to continue investing in the program to “builders across the state who could be future carpenters, laborers, electricians, superintendents and pipe fitters.”
The Tucson Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program is one of seven programs receiving grants from the program.
Karen King, the TEJATP’s training director, said it services 175 active apprentices across Arizona. He said the BuildItAZ’s expansion is critical to fill the construction industry’s workforce gap.
Arizona started BuildItAZ to keep up with the state’s large construction industry.
