Phoenix College announces the virtual Future of Work Summit, on March 4, in partnership with three of its sister Maricopa Community Colleges: Gateway, Paradise Valley, and South Mountain. The event is a collaboration with the City of Phoenix, as well as The Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, the Black Chamber of Arizona, the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Asian Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Phoenix Equality Chamber of Commerce.

As Phoenix College (PC) celebrates its 100th anniversary, it is focusing on its next century. That means responding to workforce needs, and defining key economic drivers for the community. The Future of Work Summit will review economic trends, and provide a snapshot of the Phoenix market, informing, and guiding important questions. It will also develop a review of Phoenix College, and the City of Phoenix, through a Business Needs/Retention Survey.
Sessions will focus on workforce trends, and help answer pressing questions like: What does the current workforce landscape look like? How can community colleges help support businesses in the areas they serve? Are there opportunities for training, and workforce development, through Work-Based Experiences?

"Workforce is the single most important asset that businesses look for as they grow, or relocate,” said Christine Mackay, Director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Phoenix. "If we’re going to remain competitive in the future, partnerships between our businesses and our educational institutions are vital to setting Phoenix apart."

Mackay will be leading one of the introductory sessions at the Summit.

Phoenix College has been training a strong regional workforce by partnering with local employers and is working to keep its current program offerings relevant. The College also hopes to get input from attendees, guiding programs for the future.

“Phoenix College has a strong foundation of collaboration with local workforce partners,” said Dr. Larry Johnson, who serves as its sixth President. “These partnerships have led to innovative college offerings, such as the Neighborhood College, which allow us to meet employees, and employers, where they’re located. A recent highlight of our work is the new Information Technology Institute. It’s poised to educate the IT professionals of tomorrow, with Associate Degrees, Certificates, and micro-credential offerings. The Future of Work Summit will help us identify key priorities for organizations, and to continue building bridges between our educational offerings, and the workforce climate,” said Johnson.

Sector Breakout Sessions at the Future of Work Summit include: IT/Cybersecurity, Allied Health or Healthcare, Business Services, and Construction. Combined, these respective sessions are aimed to address critical questions, such as:

*What are current labor demands, by sector, as understood through data?

*What is currently happening within Phoenix to address the gaps?

*What barriers do we face, as we move to close these gaps and achieve our goals?

The Summit will culminate with recommendations, and next steps, to better integrate the College’s programs with our local businesses.

Join in and discover how the business community—and community colleges—can partner to leverage resources, and become a workforce machine that drives Phoenix’s economy.

For more information, contact [email protected] or visit https://fowsummit.eventbrite.com/.