Connect to Work AZ Initiative Receives $25,000 Grant to Build Skilled Workforce
The Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation’s workforce initiative Connect to Work AZ was recently awarded $25,000 from Bank of America. This generous support allows the initiative to grow the work of aligning the needs of Arizona’s leading industries with the needs of underemployed and unemployed individuals to obtain quality jobs with benefits and opportunities for career growth.
The Foundation launched Connect to Work AZ in May 2023, powered by Skills for America’s Future (Skills). The initiative provides a jobs-first workforce approach by working with healthcare and financial services employers to identify hiring needs and serve as an extension of their recruitment teams. Connect to Work AZ then connects qualified unemployed and underemployed candidates directly to employers for specific job opportunities impacting economic mobility in Phoenix’s historically underserved communities.
Since launching, Connect to Work AZ has achieved the following:
- 73 total placements –104% of placement goal
- DEI-focused placement results – 63% persons of color; 79% Female
- Overall Candidate Retention: 70%
- Average placement wage – $19.20/hr
- Annualized wage impact – $2.19M
- Employer partner retention: 100%
- Hosted two successful healthcare focused hiring events
“Connect to Work AZ is an initiative that works to improve economic opportunity for unemployed and underemployed individuals,” said Jennifer Mellor, chief innovation officer, Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation. “We are grateful to receive a grant from Bank of America as these funds will support existing work and increase the program’s capacity to assist additional employers and job seekers, impacting even more lives.”
Connect to Work AZ offers vetting, referring, coaching, and tracking of candidates for employment with five corporate partners in Arizona’s high-demand fields, with a goal to place at least 100 individuals over the next 12 months. By leveraging connections and collaboration with community-based organizations, Arizonans from underserved communities have better access to the support they need to pursue careers that utilize their skills and promote financial stability for them and their families.
“The path to creating a labor-ready workforce and greater economic stability for our community members hinges on collaboration between job seekers, educators, and the business community,” said Scott Vanderpool, president, Bank of America Phoenix. “The Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation’s efforts through Connect to Work AZ is a critical connection point, making it a priority investment for Bank of America.”
In FY25, the initiative also plans to conduct outreach events, serving individuals in the Greater Phoenix region, including community information sessions, quarterly industry-specific hiring events, and events in partnership with community-based organizations serving targeted underemployed and unemployed individuals.
Ultimately, Connect to Work AZ aims to build a stronger, more diverse workforce, while connecting jobseekers from disadvantaged backgrounds to empowering economic opportunities. With this new funding, the initiative will strive to create lasting change, advance equity in Arizona communities, and help end generational cycles of poverty.
The Bank of America grant also supports ElevateEdAZ, which prepares high school students for college and career. ElevateEdAZ partner schools provide quality work-based learning and clear pathways to employment to enhance social mobility for students from underserved backgrounds. Expansion to two additional Maricopa County high schools will enable the Foundation to provide a total of 44,000 students annually with aligned CTE and work-based learning opportunities, leading to meaningful relationships with employers in growing fields, ultimately opening new doors for them and their families.
Job seekers, employers, and community partners interested in participating in Connect to Work AZ can apply on the Connect to Work AZ website, which also features a Job Board for local positions in healthcare and financial services.