PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. – Activating student career inspiration and exploration into program enrollment is a critical part of connecting our workforce ecosystem. Central Arizona College is excited to partner with Pipeline AZ to launch the college Bridge program with My Future AZ. Pipeline AZ built My Future AZ in partnership with the Arizona Department of Education, Center for the Future of Arizona and Arizona Business and Education Coalition for students’ career exploration in K-12. This program aims to better facilitate the transition from high school to college for Pinal County students.
Thanks to the Department of Labor’s Forging STEM Career Literacy and Pathways in Rural Arizona, students using My Future AZ can now denote in their Education and Career Action Plan goals that they plan to attend Central Arizona College and choose a related pathway or program to be connected to the college for support. This will expand beyond STEM interests enabling equitable access towards all Arizona careers, especially those that are high-demand, high-wage, and high-skill occupations.
Central Arizona College advisors are ready to assist students with a more seamless enrollment process. This dedicated approach will initiate a connection between Central Arizona College advisors to Pinal County high school students much earlier and more intentionally. “Creating a bridge to the future of work is that of a joint community. Pipeline AZ recognizes that student success is not simply finding a program but also understanding where that program fits within a career pathway, therefore collaboration with partners is key to achieving that success in the long run.” said Katherine Adams, Pipeline AZ’s Senior Vice President. The Arizona Department of Education, Center for the Future of Arizona, Arizona Board of Regents, and Education Forward Arizona collaborated with My Future AZ for this initiative. According to a statistic revealing that only 48% of high school students enroll in college the semester after graduation, the state has set a goal to increase that percentage to 70%.
“Working with Pipeline AZ, Central Arizona College is able to help our students identify their skills and interests and connect that information to in-demand careers. We are excited to bridge this interest earlier and support our students as they aspire to Central Arizona College,” said Nicole Costales, Central Arizona College’s Director of Advising. “This new program will put our students on track to completing their program from day one. The ultimate goal is employment within our community that fits our students’ passions.”
Pipeline AZ serves five of the community college districts statewide with branded and customized community college solutions for students to utilize while attending the respective college. Central Arizona College’s solution, CAC Pipeline, was established in 2022.
Forging STEM Career Literacy and Pathways in Rural Arizona” is supported by the U.S. Department of Labor. A total of $ 1,998,968 or 100 percent of the Workforce Pathways for Youth award [23A60YP000003-01-01] is financed with Federal funds. The program is an equal opportunity program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
MEDIA CONTACT
Angela Askey
Central Arizona College
480-677-7875
MEDIA CONTACT
Katherine Adams
Pipeline AZ
480-371-8889
ABOUT PIPELINE AZ
Pipeline AZ is a career development and exploration platform that creates pathways to in-demand careers by connecting the dots between industry and education. It uses skills mapping technology to help job seekers discover new paths or level up in their existing careers while also serving as a valuable recruiting tool for employers. Learn more at pipelineaz.com.
ABOUT CAC
For more than 50 years, Central Arizona College has been serving and educating the diverse communities of Pinal County. With five campuses located strategically throughout the county, CAC provides accessible, educational, economic, cultural, and personal growth opportunities for those of all ages.
CAC is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding equal employment opportunity and anti‐discrimination. CAC strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination on the basis of the following protected classes and/or characteristics, in all of its operations, programs and activities, including but not limited to employment, promotion, admissions and access to all career and technical programs: race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including sex assigned at birth, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. For more information contact: Laura Shepherd, Title IX Coordinator at 480‐677‐7853 or titleix@centralaz.edu; Section 504/ADA Coordinator at 520‐494‐5409 or studentaccessibility@centralaz.edu or Human Resources at human.resources@centralaz.edu.
