Workforce Development :: Coconino County Sustainable Economic Development Initiative

Worforce development and educational opportunities for building a sustainable economy

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Actions in Progress

» Job Training Grants

» Education

Resources & Opportunities

» Coconino Community College

» Coconino County Career Center

» Small Business Development Center

» Northern Arizona Area Health Education Center

» Coconino Association for Vocations, Industry and Technology (CAVIAT)

» Flagstaff Chamber POWER programs

Historically low unemployment rates obscure the fact that many workers in Coconino County are not finding jobs that offer career satisfaction and a living wage. Yet training programs and business development assistance are available that offer excellent opportunities for workers and entrepreneurs in sustainability-based industries—especially green building and small scale manufacturing. For existing companies the Arizona Department of Commerce offers direct job training grants.

Goals

Increase awareness of existing green technology workforce training and education opportunities and increase enrollment by 25%.
Identify workforce training programs that address our specific needs and opportunities and make them available to county residents.
Bring $250,000 in direct job training grants from the Arizona Department of Commerce to sustainability-oriented companies in Coconino County.
Have a voice at the statewide workforce policy level that speaks for the workforce development needs of sustainability-based industries in Coconino County.

Strategies

Develop a marketing / outreach program to raise community awareness of existing Coconino Community College (CCC) green building and technology training programs.
Advocate for the creation of a Sustainability / Green Building Associates degree at CCC.
Identify sustainability-oriented companies in Coconino County that could benefit from direct job training grants and market the program to them.
Direct a regional representative to the Governor's Workforce Policy Board to advocate for removal of restrictions that prevent federal and state workforce dollars from more effectively addressing the specific workforce development needs of sustainbility-based industries in Coconino County.
Work with the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce to expose students to green employment and business opportunities through its Partnership on Workforce Education and Readiness, or POWER, programs.

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