Yavapai College was recently awarded $1.48 million from the Department of Labor as part of a collaboration with the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) and five other Arizona Community Colleges.

The funds are part of a $15m grant awarded to the state of Arizona from the QUEST Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grants (DWG) program. The funds will help dislocated workers across the state for the next two years.

“This award was only possible because of a collaboration with the ACA and our partner colleges and agencies in other counties,” said Richard Hernandez, Executive Director of Yavapai College’s Regional Economic Development Center (REDC). “This funding will allow us to continue bringing valuable and needed services to Yavapai County.”

“We are now in the process of evaluating existing programs and services to deliver on the grants focus as well as looking at ways to partner and deliver new programs,” Hernandez said.

Six counties are participating in Arizona’s QUEST project, including Cochise, Maricopa, Mohave/La Paz, Pima, Yavapai, and Yuma counties.

The REDC’s application highlighted the number of jobs, rate of job growth, compensation, and job posting demand in the healthcare sector.

“I am excited about this opportunity and know the REDC will bring the full assets of the College in support of economic development in Yavapai County,” said Rodney Jenkins, Vice President of Community Relations and Student Development. The Regional Economic Development Center at Yavapai College is committed to increased quality of life through managed economic development. More information on the REDC can be found at www.ycredc.com.