PHX Reporter

The City of Phoenix is now funding a reskilling program that offers free tuition at Maricopa Community Colleges to county residents whose jobs or income were affected by the pandemic.

With the two working in partnership, the program is designed to offer a career change pathway toward in-demand jobs that offer higher wages. Over the life of the course, students are also eligible for monthly stipends of as much as $1,000, assistance with expenses like child care and transportation and employment help in a range of workforce programs from manufacturing to health care at the county’s 10 community colleges.

“We have a unique opportunity to help people enter extremely high-wage careers in Maricopa County,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego told AZCentral.com. “We know it’s been a difficult few years for our residents, but we hope that today we celebrate some silver linings.”

With the city reported to be using $7 million from its federal pandemic relief fund to fund operations, the so-called “Route to Relief" program is set to run through December 2024.

"It provides so many people career opportunities to better their lives," Maricopa County Community Colleges District Governing Board member Susan Bitter Smith said. "This really is an opportunity to reskill for people who want to come back into the workforce in a different route.”

Phoenix District 1 Councilwoman Ann O’Brien is convinced the time for such assistance couldn’t be better.

“This program comes at a pivotal time for North Phoenix as we are poised to staff the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company plant," she said in a statement.

Maricopa Community Colleges Interim Chancellor Steven Gonzales said it’s all the school can do to make sure students are ready for learning from the start and beyond.

“I see this (Route to Relief) as us responding to the workforce, and also preparing that workforce — those are two critically important things to do," he said. "We want to make sure that they’re ready to start on day one."