Tucson Chamber set to launch second aerospace and defense hiring event

Just six months after their first event, the Tucson Metro Chamber will be hosting another aerospace and defense hiring event. Following on the success of the first event, the second will match job hunters with a career in aviation, welding, cybersecurity, transportation, and more.

The event takes place on Tuesday, April 23rd, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Pima Community College. Parties on either side of the hiring table can sign up at tucsonazjobs.com; registration closes on April 15th. Before the event, candidates will be pre-matched with firms based on their qualifications; at the event, companies will have the opportunity to interview their preferred prospects.

At the first event in October, thirteen employers held 50 interviews and finished the day with a 68 percent hiring rate. Tucson Metro Chamber President and CEO Amber Smith notes that this rate isn’t surprising when you consider the strong qualities of Tucson and its potential workforce.

“Our natural assets make us very competitive with other parts of the country, but we also have the ability to grow,” Smith said. “We have a very strong startup community, we have a lot of innovation occurring, and the fact that our companies are so easily accessible makes it even better for talent.”

Data shows that Arizona is unrivaled when it comes to the cross-section of aerospace and manufacturing. Further, PricewaterhouseCoopers listed Arizona as the number one state in their 2016 Aerospace Manufacturing Attractiveness ranking. By the end of the year, the state boasted 1,200 aerospace and defense companies, which employed over 52,000 people. In addition, Arizona ranked top 10 in both aviation/aerospace employment and aerospace government contracts.

“Our military bases due to our weather have the ability to train and fly for most parts of the year,” Smith contisaidnues. “That helps retain our military installations, which helps bring in the private sector as well.”

In a 2012 report by Deloitte, Tucson was ranked fourth in the nation for the total percent of manufacturing dedicated to aerospace and defense. Over 51 percent of the city’s manufacturing is A&D, and events like this only help to ensure the city holds this ranking.

Ben Norman

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