Cochise Newsroom

Across Cochise County and across the country, the nature of work is changing. Careers in healthcare, business, education, and applied technologies are increasingly requiring postsecondary education, industry-recognized credentials, and a working understanding of artificial intelligence. At the same time, employers consistently tell us they are struggling to find enough skilled professionals to meet today’s workforce needs.

 

Preparing students for this reality is central to our mission at Cochise College.

 

Last month was Career and Technical Education Month, a timely reminder that clear, relevant pathways to employment matter more than ever. In response, we are launching a new AI-Powered Success initiative, supported by a $1.87 million federal grant. This investment will strengthen our K–12 Industry Partnership Pipeline and introduce a Generative AI Workforce Micro credential. Through this program, students and working adults can gain practical, hands-on experience with the tools and technologies employers now expect in the workplace.

 

Workforce development, however, is about more than emerging technologies. It is also about sustained support and opportunity. This year marks 25 years of Federal TRiO Student Support Services on our Douglas Campus. For a quarter century, TRiO has helped first-generation college students enroll, persist, and complete their certificates and degrees. Its impact is evident in graduates who now serve in high-demand careers throughout our communities. That kind of long-term investment transforms not only individual lives, but entire communities.

 

Recently, Board Members Stephen Leeder, Stephanie Money, and I attended the Association of Community College Trustees Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C. Leaders from across the nation reaffirmed the critical role community colleges play as engines of economic mobility and workforce development. Those discussions were especially meaningful for rural institutions like ours.

 

It is important to recognize that community colleges across Arizona operate within diverse local contexts. Institutions serving rural regions often cover broad geographic areas and provide comprehensive programming to meet a wide range of community and industry needs. That reality requires thoughtful planning and strategic focus as we expand programs, adopt new technologies, and respond to evolving workforce demands. Regardless of location, community colleges remain foundational to the communities they serve and essential to Arizona’s economic vitality.

 

That broader role becomes tangible when you look at the impact close to home. At Cochise College, we educate nurses who care for patients in our local hospitals. We train emergency responders and law enforcement officers who safeguard our neighborhoods. We prepare technicians who support regional industries and strengthen local economies.

 

When we remain student-centered and community-anchored, while positioning ourselves to be future-ready. Meeting workforce demands begins here, with access, opportunity, and a commitment to preparing the next generation for meaningful careers close to home.

 

James D. Perey, Ed.D., is President of Cochise College.