Arizona is a hub for for companies in a variety of fields that require educated workers, and economists are saying that means the state needs to focus on funding schools.

A recent KTAR report points out that the state is now a spot for high tech companies, clean-energy companies, auto manufacturers and health care. Arizona has a workforce development program that was implemented in 2016 and the plan’s website states that over the past several years the state has focused on creating an “innovative and comprehensive workforce development system” to meet the needs of what has been a growing population. Eight task forces were created to identify questions and concerns. The plan’s website states that Arizona’s economy consists of an array of industries, and since the end of the Great Recession employment growth rebounded in a majority of sectors.

Economist Jim Rounds of the Rounds Consulting Group said in the KTAR article that the state not only needs to invest in a big way, but it will likely be bringing in more money than being spent. This means, he said, that taxes can be reduced while investing in education.

“We have to have enough workforce to use that as a tool to lure more companies to the state,” Rounds said to KTAR. "That’s what we’ve been doing but we need to get workers trained up for these big business locations.”

Last fall, Gov. Doug Ducey released a report that showed how the state’s economic momentum and workforce development was on the rise, saying that Arizona had some of the strongest economic momentum in the nation in and was able to maintain that pace throughout the pandemic.

“Gov. Ducey has fostered a business-friendly environment by lowering taxes every year he’s been in office, cutting red tape and embracing innovation,” his September report said.