Maricopa County’s "Workforce to You" program renewed after participant success

Maricopa County’s accelerated job‑training program "Workforce to You," which brings short vocational courses to rural communities, was renewed for a second year with a $500,000 grant from the governor’s office, county presenters said.

The program, which began last year and includes courses in medical billing and coding and medical administrative assistance, had a 72% completion rate, presenters said — a rate the presenter called "well above the national average for federally funded workforce programs." Maricopa County officials have said they are bringing the program into rural areas as part of local economic development efforts.

Yafit Harris, a program participant who said she took time out of the workforce to raise three children, described the barrier she faced returning to work and the help she received through the county program. "I had such a wonderful time raising them, but when I got out after 7 years out of the house, everything I did before was old," Harris said. She said the county helped update her resume and provided practice interviewing.

"We revamped her resume. You know, we developed it, kinda brought it up to date. We did some mock interviewing, you know, practicing for, you know, sitting in front of somebody and and selling her skills and abilities," said Amy Altschul, Maricopa County’s workforce development coordinator. Altschul also recommended the county’s "Workforce to You" offerings to attendees at a Queen Creek Library workshop.

County presenters said the program’s first year offered medical billing and coding and medical administrative assistant courses and produced a 72% completion rate. Officials described the program as "award winning" in the presentation and said that success led the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to approve a $500,000 grant from the governor’s office to renew the program for a second year. The presenter did not provide the vote tally or the date of the board action in the remarks recorded here.

Harris said she completed certification as a medical administrative assistant and landed a part‑time job as an HOA monitor; she said she is taking a second "Workforce to You" course and hopes to secure a full‑time medical records management position. "I'm so grateful. I'm beyond privileged. They teach you everything you need for the job," Harris said.

Presenters emphasized the county’s intent to expand the program into rural communities and to use short, targeted courses to help residents update resumes and interviewing skills. Specifics about future course schedules or which rural locations will receive the program were not specified in the recorded remarks.