My news feed is filled with people in my network marked as #OpenToWork. Every week, I meet job seekers in Phoenix who share their struggles navigating today’s hiring landscape. They describe the black hole of job applications on LinkedIn, the overwhelm of AI-driven tools, and the loss of human connection in the process of finding meaningful work.
Hearing creatives and builders talk about how demotivated they feel knowing their resume is one of hundreds, likely unseen is heartbreaking. These are the very people who bring energy, experience, and fresh perspective to our innovation economy. The fact that so many are discouraged, disconnected, and undervalued should be a wake-up call that we need to do something different.
The competition for talent is prevalent, yet beneath the surface of job boards and AI matching algorithms lies a simple truth that I will always stand by: it’s community that unlocks opportunity.
In Arizona today, there are roughly 233,000 open positions, while only around 154,000 people are receiving unemployment. WHAT? That gap doesn’t mean talent isn’t out there it means people aren’t being connected. There are qualified, eager individuals ready for work but they’re invisible, often lost to automated systems and overwhelming applicant pools.
Workforce statistics paint a clear imbalance: only about 48% of working-age Arizonans hold an associate degree, professional certification or higher, far below what's needed to meet evolving job demands. Yet, from now until 2032, the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity projects 430,000 job openings per year and many won’t be filled unless business and community resources align.
We also face a brain‑drain challenge: too many of our state’s brightest graduates never find their way back to Arizona businesses.
This is not just a statistics problem, it’s a signal that connection and belonging must be at the heart of talent strategy.
That’s why in 2024 we launched Tech Talent Summits. To bring people into rooms. To let employers, job seekers, educators, and creators have real conversations. It’s a space where the business voice meets the community voice, where exposure meets opportunity and innovation meets impact.
Companies like Grand Canyon University model what synergy looks like: aligning curriculum and apprenticeships with real workforce needs. Businesses get pipelines; individuals get job-ready skills and access. It's strategic, intentional, human.
Meanwhile, examples like TSMC’s apprenticeship partnership with Estrella Mountain show how powerful this alignment can be. Across Arizona, community colleges and universities are racing to meet demand, offering accelerated semiconductor technician programs and aligning engineering degrees with growing industries.
We’re not just running events. We want to be your Talent Acquisition Community Partner. We want to co-create the future of work with you.
Beyond our flagship annual summit every November, we’re building a sustained ecosystem, with a continuum of pathways connecting innovation to opportunity.
If your organization is serious about growing with Arizona’s next wave of talent, we’re ready to partner with intent, strategy, and humanity.
Together, We Can:
The future of hiring isn’t just matching skills to roles. It’s about shared paths, trust, and human networks. It's about you, us, talent and community working together.
DM me to collaborate + Join the waitlist for the November 2025 Tech Talent Summit + Startup World Cup AZ.
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