Talent, Workforce, and Training


Arizona workforce



Arizona Workforce

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport provides access to a highly-trained, educated, and talented workforce, starting at the state level. Arizona ranks #2 in the country for workforce quality and availability and #1 for higher education degree opportunities. The state also has one of the lowest unionizations rates, and employers here pay the second lowest unemployment insurance premium taxes in the nation, making Arizona one of the best states for business.


AZ ranks #1 for higher education and #2 for workforce quality and availability


Phoenix Workforce

At the local level, the workforce is just as strong. You’ll never have trouble finding qualified employees. The Greater Phoenix metropolitan area has a population of 4.95 million and is expected to grow to 5.64 million by 2029. Mesa itself, the nation’s 37th largest city, boasts a population of 504,000. The workforce also tends to be young. Greater Phoenix has a median age of 37, making it the sixth youngest metropolitan area in the United States. As a result, employees have the potential for long careers with your business.

But, those aren’t the only reasons to consider Gateway. Greater Phoenix has an extremely competitive workforce as well as one of the lowest costs for labor in the nation. Additionally, projected employment growth in Greater Phoenix for the next decade (2020-2030) is 15 percent, compared to the national average of 7 percent.



Median age is 37 years old
Projected employment growth is 14% over the next 8 years
The Phoenix metro area will grow by .7 million by 2029
The Gateway Airport area employs 2,000 people

Gateway has other draws. It is located within a Military Reuse Zone (MRZ) and Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ), and it offers employers workforce tax credits up to $10,000 per qualifying employee.

It also employs more than 2,000 employees and is responsible for almost 24,000 off-airport jobs.

Mesa Workforce

When it comes to employees, you won’t find a more educated or skilled workforce than in Greater Phoenix, and specifically in Mesa.

Mesa has five higher education institutions

More than 38 percent of Mesa’s workforce has at least an associate’s degree (or higher). And, with more than 40 universities and educational institutions in Greater Phoenix, there’s potential for that number to increase.

Five of those educational institutions are within a mile of Gateway:

  • Arizona State University - Polytechnic
  • Chandler-Gilbert Community College
  • East Valley Institute of Technology
  • University of North Dakota
  • Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

Programs at these schools focus on engineering, manufacturing, business, health, and aerospace. Of these five, Arizona State University (ASU), Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC), and East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) play a large role in educating the local workforce.

Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus

ASU is one of the country’s leading universities. U.S. News & World Report named it the most innovative university in the nation eight consecutive years in a row while the Wall Street Journal ranked it fifth in the nation for best-qualified graduates. The Polytechnic Campus at Gateway features multiple aviation degree programs including Air Transportation Management and Professional Flight.

ASU was ranked most innovative university three years in a row
Chandler-Gilbert Community College Williams Campus

Chandler-Gilbert Community College is part of Maricopa Community Colleges, which educates more than 200,000 individuals annually and is the largest community college system in the United States. The Gateway campus produces both licensed and ready-to-be licensed A&P (airframe and/or power plant) mechanics.

CGCC produces licensed and ready-to-be licensed A&P mechanics
East Valley Institute of Technology

A career and technology school, EVIT offers occupational training programs for high school students and adults. Students attending the Gateway campus receive dual enrollment credit for aviation and aircraft maintenance classes in partnership with CGCC.

EVIT offers occupational training programs

To learn more about the benefits of locating your business at Gateway, call us now at 480-988-7662 or send an email to asmith@gatewayairport.com