IDIA is launching a workforce initiative designed to connect Arizonans, particularly those previously excluded from opportunity, to future-ready credentials and real economic mobility, right in the neighborhoods where they live and work.
In Guadalupe, a mother explores data analytics using a MacBook and free high-speed internet. In Superior, a young adult updates his résumé with help from someone trained in both technology and the local job market. These moments happen daily across Arizona’s growing network of digital learning hubs, called Hives, and they’re about to scale dramatically.
Arizona’s workforce is projected to grow by over 486,000 jobs by 2035, outpacing the national average with a 1.3% annual increase (Rounds Consulting, Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity, 2025). To ensure that this growth benefits all communities, we must pair opportunity with access, support, and targeted skills training.
This initiative aligns with Arizona’s broader Workforce Development Plan and Talent Pipeline Management strategy, ensuring that learners build the skills most in demand by regional employers. And it does so with a model that is scalable, human-centered, and measurable.
Closing the Digital Skills Gap
More than 92% of U.S. jobs require digital skills, yet one-third of workers lack them (National Skills Coalition). In Arizona, where 25% of residents live in rural areas, compared to 14% nationally, the lack of access to connectivity, devices, and job-aligned training compounds the challenge.
At the same time, demand is surging for talent in cybersecurity, data analytics, project management, UX, and AI. Arizona employers—from healthcare to manufacturing—are seeking workers who can secure systems, interpret data, and navigate AI-enhanced workflows. These roles offer strong salaries, with cybersecurity analysts averaging $112,000 annually and projected 32% job growth by 2032 (BLS). UX designers, project managers, and data analysts follow closely.
IDIA’s model closes the gap by providing not only skills, but also trust, structure, and relevance. Participants start with foundational skills and progress into credentials that prepare them to compete and thrive in today’s job market. Importantly, they receive personalized support throughout the journey, not just at the point of entry, something that sets IDIA’s model apart.
Beyond Certificates: A Full Workforce Pathway
The curriculum scaffolds learning from essential digital skills to advanced workforce preparation. Participants can begin with the basics—email, online safety, telehealth—and build toward in-demand career paths across Arizona’s priority sectors:
Career + Tech Readiness
- IT Support
- Cybersecurity
- Data Analytics
- Project Management
- UX Design
- Digital Marketing & E-Commerce
- Business Intelligence
- Cloud Computing
- IT Automation with Python
AI + Automation
- AI Essentials
- AI Ethics + Bias
- Prompt Engineering
- Generative AI for Educators
- Voice + Speech Tools
- Creative AI Applications
- AI Tools for Accessibility
- Working with AI Agents
Entrepreneurship + Small Business
- Branding + Digital Presence
- Website Design
- Legal + Financial Essentials
- Social Media Strategy
- Winning Customers
Learners earn stackable credentials and pathway certificates, many accepted for college credit, ensuring each milestone has long-term educational and market value. This isn’t a one-time course. It’s a supported, future-facing path to sustained career growth.
Meeting People Where They Are
Training is hosted at eight fixed Hive locations and two Mobile Hives that brings access directly to rural, remote, and underserved communities:
- The Hive at Aeroterra – Edison-Eastlake neighborhood, South Central Phoenix
- The Hive at CTEC – Matthew Henson Community Center, Phoenix
- The Hive at Guadalupe South Mountain – Guadalupe Center, SMCC
- The Hive at Tempe Envision Center – Central Tempe
- The Hive at Chandler San Marcos – San Marcos Elementary campus
- The Hive at CCAZ Mesa – CCAZ Center for Child and Family Wellness
- The Hive at Superior – Superior Enterprise Center (Pinal County)
- The Hive at Sierra Vista – Community Innovation Center (Cochise County)
- IDIA Mobile Hives – Serving communities throughout central and southern AZ
Each Hive provides high-speed internet, professional-grade tools, and one-on-one guidance from Digital Navigators. Navigators help learners select training, navigate challenges, and celebrate credentials, offering hands-on support every step of the way.
To date, the Hive network has:
- Served 83,000+ residents
- Delivered 32,000+ hours of navigator support
- Helped 39,000+ individuals build new tech and workforce skills
Built for Scale and Measured for Impact
IDIA’s model is designed for scale, adaptable across rural, urban, and mobile environments, and backed by a robust impact framework. Outcomes are tracked across access, credentialing, and employment alignment, providing real, actionable data to measure return on investment.
Human-Centered, Industry-Connected
“What we’re doing is opening the door to new opportunities even wider,” said Dr. Erin Carr-Jordan, President and CEO of IDIA. “You don’t need a tech background or a degree, just a willingness to start. We meet you where you are and help you build toward where you want to go.”
Designed in collaboration with employers, education partners, and local leaders, such as Google, Verizon, Arizona@Work, and community-based organizations, this initiative ensures that learners aren’t earning credentials in a vacuum. Training is shaped by the evolving needs of Arizona’s industries and contributes directly to the state’s economic mobility and competitiveness.
How to Get Started
Enrollment opens July 1st. To learn more or get started, contact hello@theidia.org or visit your local Hive.
Digital Navigators are available to walk participants through every step, from choosing a course to earning a credential and beyond.
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