The future of our economy depends on the investments we make in students today.
That's why the Gilbert Chamber Foundation's Business & Education Committee is dedicated to creating meaningful connections between education and industry, helping students explore career pathways while giving businesses opportunities to shape and strengthen tomorrow's workforce.
Through innovative programs, partnerships, and community engagement, the committee continues to bring together educators, employers, community leaders, and students to ensure the East Valley has the talent, skills, and opportunities needed to thrive for years to come.
Preparing Students for Success
One of our most impactful initiatives is the Interview Skills Challenge, where students gain hands-on experience practicing professional interviewing techniques with local business leaders.
For many students, it's their first opportunity to participate in a realistic interview environment. They receive valuable feedback, build confidence, strengthen communication skills, and learn what employers are looking for in today's workplace. The result is a more prepared, confident, and career-ready talent pipeline.
Empowering Young Entrepreneurs
The Student Entrepreneurs Academy is helping students turn big ideas into real possibilities.
This exciting program introduces aspiring young business owners to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, and business planning. Students gain practical knowledge while developing the confidence to pursue their passions and transform ideas into action.
Interested in applying? Click: Student Entrepreneurs Academy application.
We believe some of the next great business leaders are sitting in classrooms right now, and we're committed to helping them discover their potential.
Bringing the East Valley Together
Each year, our Regional Business & Education Summit convenes leaders from across East Valley communities to engage in meaningful conversations about workforce development.
The summit creates a unique space for business leaders, educators, government representatives, and community stakeholders to examine current workforce challenges, identify emerging trends, and collaborate on solutions that strengthen our regional economy.
By fostering these conversations and partnerships, we're helping ensure that education and workforce needs remain aligned in a rapidly changing world.
Connecting Students to Careers Through Shadowing and Mentoring
One of our most popular initiatives continues to be our Shadowing and Mentoring Program.
Students gain invaluable exposure to real workplace environments while learning directly from professionals across a wide variety of industries. These experiences provide insights that simply can't be replicated in a classroom.
Students discover career pathways, build professional networks, ask questions, and gain a clearer understanding of what their future could look like. At the same time, mentors have the opportunity to inspire, guide, and invest in the next generation of leaders.
The impact often extends far beyond a single day, creating relationships and opportunities that can positively influence a student's educational and career journey for years to come.
Investing in Dreams Through Scholarships
The Gilbert Chamber Foundation is also proud to support students through our Scholarship Program.
We recognize that success comes in many forms and that students pursue a wide variety of educational and career paths. Our scholarships help support diverse endeavors, whether students are pursuing college degrees, technical training, certifications, entrepreneurship, or other opportunities that will enable them to achieve their goals.
Every scholarship awarded represents an investment not only in an individual student, but in the future strength of our community and economy.
Join Us in Making a Difference
The success of these programs is made possible by the individuals, businesses, educators, sponsors, and donors who believe in the power of education and workforce development.
If you have a heart for students, a passion for education, and a desire to strengthen the future of our economy, we invite you to get involved.
You can make an impact by:
- Joining the Business & Education Committee
- Becoming a program sponsor
- Serving as a mentor or volunteer
- Supporting scholarship opportunities
- Making a charitable donation
- Partnering with us on workforce initiatives
Together, we can continue creating opportunities that connect students to careers, businesses to talent, and our community to a stronger future.
When we invest in students, we invest in the workforce of tomorrow. When we invest in workforce development, we invest in the long-term success of our entire community.
Join us as we help inspire, prepare, and empower the next generation. The future is being built today, and we would love to have you be part of it.