Arizona’s next big workforce flex may not come from a boardroom. It may come from a classroom with welding gear, medical training equipment, agriculture projects, aerospace pathways, automotive labs, and students who already know exactly where they are headed.
State schools chief Tom Horne gathered with industry leaders, students, parents, and educators in Phoenix this spring to spotlight the Arizona Department of Education’s growing push to make sure students leave high school ready for college, careers, or the kind of skilled jobs that come with serious earning potential.
The gathering brought together a wide range of heavy hitters from Arizona’s economy, including Abrazo Health, Dignity Health, Honeywell Aerospace, Arizona State Future Farmers of America, ASU, Custom Automotive Reconditioning Services, GTI Energy, and Able Aerospace. Translation: the room was not just talking about workforce development. It was filled with the people actually hiring it.
Horne framed the effort as a direct response to what business leaders say they need most: skilled labor. His pitch was simple, practical, and very Arizona.
“Arizona has great businesses. But CEOs told me that one of their biggest problems is a lack of skilled labor. I told them: I’ll make you a deal. I have access to 1,200,000 students so I can provide your skilled labor. In return, you will teach our career technical education teachers and administrators what skills are needed to get a well-paid job in your company upon graduation from high school. 40 of Arizona’s largest companies agreed, and we call this the Student Industry Partnership or SIP,” Horne says.
That partnership sits at the center of the state’s expanding CTE push, connecting schools with employers so students are not just learning theory. They are learning the skills companies say they actually need.
And for students who are not headed straight to college, the stakes are especially high.
“Not all students go to college. Those that do not must have the certified skills to get a well-paid job after high school. Our philosophy is: every student, without exception, graduates career or college ready,” Horne says.
The numbers behind the momentum are hard to ignore. Over the past two years, more than 58,000 CTE students earned more than 77,000 credentials. During the latest Technical Skills Assessment cycle, 40,000 students completed their assessments, a one-year figure that signals major growth when placed next to the two-year credential total.
There are slightly more than 161,000 students enrolled in CTE programs across Arizona, representing 326 schools and 144 districts with more than 2,500 site-level programs.
For a state obsessed with growth, from tech corridors to healthcare hubs to advanced manufacturing, the timing matters. Arizona needs talent that can build, fix, grow, code, care, fly, fabricate, diagnose, and lead. CTE is increasingly where that talent starts getting shaped.
Horne also pointed to graduation rates as proof that career-connected education can keep students engaged.
“Exposure to possible jobs is highly motivating. As a result, career technical education students graduate at an astounding 97.4% rate, far exceeding the state average,” Horne says.
That is the bigger story here. CTE is not just about job training. It is about students seeing a future that feels tangible enough to chase.
In a world where “what are you doing after graduation?” can feel like a loaded question, Arizona’s CTE students are getting a sharper answer: real skills, clear direction, and more than one smart way to build a future.
Insider Takeaways
- Arizona’s Career and Technical Education programs are seeing major growth, with slightly more than 161,000 students enrolled statewide.
- The Arizona Department of Education is positioning CTE as a key part of its workforce-development strategy.
- The Student Industry Partnership connects schools with major Arizona employers to help align classroom training with real workforce needs.
- More than 58,000 CTE students earned more than 77,000 credentials over the past two years.
- During the latest Technical Skills Assessment cycle, 40,000 students completed their assessments, signaling significant momentum.
- Horne says CTE students graduate at a 97.4% rate, far exceeding the state average.
To learn more, visit azed.gov/cte/programs/welcome-az-career-and-technical-education.
