Chamber Business NewsThe Boeing Company’s efforts to strengthen Arizona’s talent pipeline and prepare students for careers in aerospace and advanced manufacturing earned the company statewide recognition last week from Education Forward Arizona.
Boeing received the organization’s North Star Award at its annual “An InspirED Evening” celebration Oct. 21 at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn. The award recognizes organizations whose leadership and partnerships help students pursue education, explore career opportunities and develop the skills needed to succeed in the workforce.
A major presence in Arizona’s aerospace and defense industry, Boeing has made workforce development a priority through partnerships with schools, community colleges and career and technical education programs.
“Building a strong workforce starts with helping people see what’s possible and giving them opportunities to develop their skills,” said Azeem Khan, Boeing’s vice president of attack helicopter programs and senior Mesa site executive. “Our education and community partners make that work possible, and we’re honored to share this recognition with them.”
Boeing’s workforce initiatives include cable harness training bootcamps with Mesa Community College, which help prepare participants for specialized manufacturing work.
The company is also a partner in the Aerospace & Defense Future48 Workforce Accelerator at Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Mesa, an initiative designed to align workforce training with the needs of Arizona’s growing aerospace and defense sector.
Another partnership supports the East Valley Institute of Technology’s STEM Academy at its Power Campus, helping introduce students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics and the career opportunities available in those fields.
Boeing’s commitment extends to its existing workforce. Through its Learning Together Program, the company provides tuition assistance to employees pursuing additional coursework, professional credentials and degrees.
The investments reflect the increasingly important relationship between education and economic development as Arizona competes for advanced manufacturing projects and the skilled workers needed to support them.
Boeing has been a major Arizona employer since 1982, with operations that include rotorcraft development, manufacturing and other aerospace-related functions. Its Mesa presence is a significant part of the state’s aerospace and defense industry
The company’s education investments also begin well before students enter the workforce. In a separate announcement this month, the Arizona Educational Foundation received a $100,000 grant from Boeing to bring aerospace career exploration to 1,500 Mesa Public Schools students.
The grant supports the foundation’s Spheres of Industry program, which introduces kindergarten through eighth-grade students to career opportunities through hands-on learning projects. It marks the fourth year of Boeing’s support for the foundation.
“Building the aerospace talent pipeline starts well before students choose a career or enter the workforce,” said Kristin Sorensen, Boeing’s senior government and community relations specialist. “Through hands-on, career-connected learning, Spheres of Industry helps students see how the skills they’re developing today can open doors to future opportunities.”
Boeing was one of three honorees recognized at Education Forward Arizona’s celebration, which brought together hundreds of education, business and community leaders.
Dr. Sybil Francis, chair, president and CEO of the Center for the Future of Arizona, received the Luminary Award for her longstanding leadership in education and her work to advance a shared vision for Arizona’s future.
Francis co-founded the Center for the Future of Arizona and has championed its Arizona We Want initiative. The center also partnered with Education Forward Arizona to develop the Arizona Education Progress Meter, which tracks the state’s performance on key education indicators.
Entrepreneur Lorena Valencia received the Stellar Achievement Award. Valencia founded Reliance Wire and Cable in Arizona in 1999 and grew the company into an automotive supply business with more than 200 employees and operations in the United States and Mexico.
“Education and economic development go hand in hand,” Valencia said. “When we invest in education, we’re also investing in the future of our communities.”
Rich Nickel, president and CEO of Education Forward Arizona, said the honorees demonstrate how collaboration among educators, employers and community leaders can create greater economic opportunity. “Education creates opportunity for individuals and helps build the skilled workforce Arizona needs,” Nickel said. “This year’s honorees show how leaders across sectors can turn that connection into meaningful progress.”
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