New facility to provide training for aerospace, defense jobs coming to East Valley

PHOENIX — A fab facility at Chandler-Gilbert Community College slated to open next year will offer students hands-on job training in aerospace and defense manufacturing.

The facility will offer training through Future48, a workforce accelerator program funded by the Arizona Commerce Authority.

Gov. Katie Hobbs spoke in support of the program at a Wednesday press conference held at the campus.

“We are home to over 1,200 aerospace and defense companies, companies that contribute nearly $15 billion annually to our economy and employ more than 62,000 Arizonans,” Hobbs said. “We need to ensure that Arizonans are reaping the benefits — and this program is one more way to do that.”

Aerospace and defense manufacturing job training at East Valley college

The job training will be offered at a first-of-its-kind fab facility focused on aerospace and defense, which will open in fall 2026 at the community college’s Williams campus at 7360 E. Tahoe Avenue in Mesa.

Its laboratories will have industry-standard equipment, along with flexible training spaces that let students transition between lectures and skill-based learning. This way, they can gain hands-on experience in electrical assembly, mechanical assembly and wiring.

This particular program to support aerospace and defense manufacturing job training is made possible through a partnership between Boeing, Honeywell, the governor’s office, the ACA, Maricopa County Community College District and Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC).

How else have Future48 projects helped Arizona students?

Here are some previous job training projects Future48 has been involved in:

• A semiconductor job training program launched in partnership with GateWay Community College.
• A battery accelerator launched in partnership with Pinal County and Central Arizona College.
• Two workforce partnerships in Kingman and Yuma to offer workforce training in electrical technology, advanced manufacturing, broadband fiber optics and solar installation.

Dr. CJ Wurster, CGCC’s interim president, said it’s an honor to be selected to house a Future48 workforce accelerator.

“Chandler-Gilbert Community College has over 30 years of experience offering training and working with leading aviation industry partners to meet workforce needs and offer high-quality programs to students in the aviation space,” Wurster said in a Wednesday news release. “We are so honored to continue leading the way and expanding our impact through this partnership and the future work of the aerospace and defense Accelerator.”

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