Lucid Motors, Intel Corp., Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Nikola Motors and other innovative tech companies bring promises of thousands of well-paying manufacturing jobs to Arizona, but is the labor market prepared to fill them?
Several initiatives seeking to cultivate talent across the state are underway today to fill the jobs of tomorrow. Most recently, a new training facility called Drive48 opened Wednesday in Casa Grande, south of Phoenix in Pinal County.
The new 13,000 square-foot facility can train more than 100 people at a time for careers in advanced automotive manufacturing. Casa Grande, a city with a population of less than 60,000, is home to manufacturing facilities for electric vehicle producer Lucid Motors and just 30 minutes west of Nikola Corp.'s manufacturing facility in Coolidge.
“Arizona is in the midst of a manufacturing boom,” Gov. Doug Ducey said in a statement regarding Drive48's opening. “We’re showing the nation what it means to welcome innovation and industry, while creating opportunities for people to work in high-skill, high-wage industries. When more products are ‘Made In Arizona,’ our entire economy benefits, and we look forward to keeping this momentum going.”
Drive48 was created in partnership between Pinal County, the city of Casa Grande, Central Arizona College, the Arizona Commerce Authority and industry partners to prepare Arizonans for high-tech jobs.
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