February 21, 2025 | Chandler-Gilbert Community College
On February 21, 2025, business, education, and government leaders gathered at Chandler-Gilbert Community College for The Future of Work: Strategies for Success Summit. This regional event, produced by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the Chandler Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce, provided a collaborative platform for advancing workforce development and addressing the evolving needs of industries and job seekers.
Uniting Education and Industry
With the workforce landscape rapidly changing, the summit focused on bridging the gap between education and industry. Attendees engaged in meaningful discussions on aligning educational pathways with employer needs, closing skills gaps, and fostering stronger partnerships between businesses and schools.
Keynote Address by Mark C. Perna
A highlight of the summit was the keynote address by Mark C. Perna, a generational expert, author, and speaker. Perna shared insights on engaging and empowering the emerging workforce, offering actionable strategies for educators, employers, and policymakers to better support young professionals in their career journeys. His expertise in workforce trends and education pathways provided valuable perspectives on preparing the next generation for success.
Event Sponsors
The summit was made possible through the generous support of First Things First, an organization dedicated to early childhood education and ensuring Arizona’s youngest learners are set up for success. Other sponsors included Landings Credit Union, Blue Zone Marketing, Cigna, GM Financial, Desert Financial Credit Union, and Fusion Academy, whose contributions helped bring together leaders committed to shaping the future workforce.
Driving Future Workforce Success
The Future of Work: Strategies for Success Summit reinforced the importance of collaboration in building a strong and competitive workforce. By bringing together key stakeholders, the event set the stage for continued efforts to align education, business, and policy initiatives to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving job market.
Feedback includes the following:
I loved hearing from Mark Perna. It was a phenomenal presentation. It validated many of my own thoughts about Gen Z, our education system, and our workforce readiness. I also appreciated that we heard from several sponsors. Typically, it is only the signature sponsor that gets to speak. It was so great to hear more about the other sponsors, especially since I wasn't familiar with all of them. I also appreciated it being a joint effort between the three chambers. That just affirms we are all in this together and we all work really well together. In that light, it also allowed for interactions between the various chambers’ membership.