As we close out 2024, your Tucson Metro Chamber is proud to reflect on the significant strides we've made in advancing workforce advocacy across Tucson and Pima County. This year has been transformative, marked by meaningful progress in addressing some of our community's most pressing workforce challenges, including populations struggling to earn livable wages. We know we had to convene our business employers, educational administrators, nonprofit leaders, and community members in order to collectively bring more equitable access to career opportunities across the Southern Arizona region. 
 
At the beginning of the year, the workforce advocacy team decided 2024 would be laser-focused on affordable and accessible childcare because Arizona loses $4.7 billion each year because of the lack of availability of childcare for children from birth to age 5. Additionally, approximately 48% of Arizona residents live in childcare deserts -- a geographic area with an insufficient supply of licensed childcare options -- and the average annual cost of infant care reaches nearly $11,000, we recognized the urgent need to act. This focus has resulted in targeted discussions and collaboration with stakeholders such as First Things First and Erik Hite Foundation, helping elevate this particular workforce issue to the forefront of 2025 policy discussions. 
 
Another of our significant 2024 achievements has been the evolution of our roundtables into dynamic workforce collaboratives. The Healthcare & Health Science Workforce Collaborative has made extraordinary progress in moving from conversations to developing a standardized preceptorship program among Tucson's major hospitals. This initiative couldn't have come at a more crucial time, as Arizona continues to face a critical healthcare workforce shortage, with projections showing we'll need thousands more healthcare professionals in the coming years. 
 
Similarly, our Mining & Construction Workforce Collaborative focused on strategic branding initiatives, working to reshape perceptions and attract new talent to these vital industries. This work will continue to be a priority as we move into 2025, beginning with teaming with Arizona Mining Association ensuring we're building strong talent pipelines for these essential sectors. 
 
2024 also saw the successful launch of our Workforce Advocacy webinar series, providing a platform for employer engagement and knowledge sharing. Our first webinar brought in a childcare policy advocate, while our second brought in the Center for the Future of Arizona and the Pima County School Superintendent’s Office to talk small business employer engagement. We plan to continue this every other month in 2025. 
 
Looking ahead to 2025, we're intensifying our focus on policy-driven solutions. Through Public Policy Council’s Workforce and Education committee, we will be assembling a powerful coalition of public and private partners to develop comprehensive childcare policies. Additionally, we're expanding our scope to address another critical workforce barrier: housing affordability. We expect our research initiatives to proactively recommend policy solutions that support accessible housing options for our workforce.  
 
These accomplishments and goals reflect our unwavering commitment to creating a more equitable, sustainable workforce ecosystem in Tucson. As we move forward, we'll continue to advocate for policies and programs that support both employers and employees, ensuring our region remains competitive and our workforce thrives. 
 
The progress we've made this year wouldn't have been possible without the dedication of our partners, stakeholders, and the broader Tucson business community. Together, we're building a stronger, more resilient workforce for Southern Arizona's future.

To learn more about what's happening in workforce advocacy, please contact Frank Velasquez Jr., Director of Workforce Advocacy, at fvelasquezjr@tucsonchamber.org.

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