Workforce development opportunities focus of BEMA Convention session

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Workforce development opportunities focus of BEMA Convention session

22 Jun 2023

Evan Bail

Evan Bail is a is a multimedia journalist from Overland Park, KS. Her passion for writing and media was developed at a young age through film and literature. She graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. In her free time, you can find her playing tennis, spending time with her family or walking her dog at the dog park.

BLUFFTON, SC — As part of BEMA’s annual convention, taking place June 20-24 in Bluffton, SC, the association, in partnership with Arizona State University (ASU), hosted three virtual workforce-related sessions as part of its Workforce Wednesday on June 21. As part of the program, Rob Buelow, program director at ASU, presented AZNext and Workforce Development Opportunities.

AZNext is Arizona’s workforce training accelerator for next-generation jobs. The US Department of Labor grant-funded program is a part of ASU. Its goal is to develop sustainable workforce training infrastructure for the high-tech jobs that are coming to the state, region and country.

The program focuses on four industries: advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity information, technology and data analytics. It is designed to provide participants with the skills needed to receive a good-paying job in one of the four industries.

Prospective program participants must be at least 17 years old and have a high school degree or general educational development credential (GED). AZNext is not just for ASU students. Anyone who meets the requirements can participate, and the program puts an emphasis on people who do not have the resources to complete a four-year college degree.

The program works with over 60 industry partners to identify the types of skills needed in their workforce right now. AZNext partners with community-based organizations and other state organizations to recruit people into the program while also addressing talent gaps, reducing training costs and enhancing a company’s workforce.

“We directly address the talent gaps that you have,” Buelow said. “We build those customized programs that can be specific to the requirements you have for your company, as long as it fits within the purview of our grant and the four areas we focus on.”

The training levels are separated into two types: entry-level workforce training and advanced workforce training, which focuses on upskilling and rescaling. Custom-designed programs can be developed for companies and their employees to meet specific needs.

Once employees complete the training, AZNext works with them to find a job, whether it be part time, full time, an internship or an apprenticeship.

“We don’t really want to be known as a training program,” Buelow said. “We want to be known as a jobs program, and that’s really our overall goal — to get people into a good paying job, help them out with their personal circumstances as well as improve the overall community.”

Visit AZNext Workforce Training Accelerator Partnership’s website for more information.

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