Headquartered in Uptown Chandler, Turbo Resources recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a 245,000-square-foot expansion at its company-owned site. The expansion will be adjacent to the company's existing 253,000-square-foot facility at the northeast corner of Arizona Avenue and Palomino Drive.

Turbo Resources is a provider of certified aviation parts on the secondary market. The company currently has 80 employees and this expansion project will allow it to double its headcount.

If you have recently driven by a lot or parcel being developed and wondered what is going there, our latest Chandler Economic Development Blog post has the inside scoop. Projects featured include:

• Go AZ Ave
• Schrader Farms Business Park
• Advantest
• Chandler Airport Business Park
• Midway Commerce Center
• Chandler Airpark Technology Center
• Town Chandler Apartments
• Alta Uptown Apartments

Blog Post

Earlier this month, Intel announced the company is launching its first U.S. registered apprenticeship program for manufacturing facility technicians in collaboration with the Arizona Commerce Authority, SEMI Foundation, Fresh Start Women's Foundation, Maricopa Community Colleges, and other partners.

Intel plans to train dozens of facility technician apprentices over the next five years. Selected apprentices will be full-time Intel employees on day one and will earn a certificate and college credit upon successful completion of the one-year program.

The one-year registered apprenticeship program will involve a mix of classroom instruction and on-the-job training in partnership with the Maricopa County Community College District. Participants will be hired as Intel employees as they learn the core competencies needed for facility technician roles, including hand-tool basics with mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic and vacuum systems; electrical basics and electronics; handling of chemicals and gases. Intel's apprenticeship program is designed to provide technical, hands-on training.

Full news release

The City of Chandler is consistently recognized as one of the best cities in the United States to live, work, and operate a business. Chandler was recently included in the following rankings:

• 14th best city for first-time homebuyers WalletHub compared 300 cities of varying sizes across 22 key indicators of market attractiveness, affordability and quality of life.
• 3rd best mid-sized city (250k - 500k population) for economic growth CoworkingCafe assessed metrics such as population growth, GPD, employment rates, trade activity, and other economic indicators.
• Best place in Arizona to live for families Fortune highlighted the best place to live in each of the 50 states, with Chandler ranking first in Arizona for its economic growth, robust job market, affordability, reasonable cost of living, and modern amenities and activities.

Visit our website for more national rankings and reasons to choose Chandler.

Arizona State University's AZNext Program is a public-private partnership designed to address the need for more skilled professionals. The program is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor and a collaboration among ASU, employers, workforce development networks, economic development organizations and industry partnerships.

Course topics and certificates offered through the program are based on demand and an advisory board composed of 50 industry partners. According to ASU, about 80% of students come on their own accord, with others attending at their employers' recommendation. If a company has enough interest among its employees, AZNext can build a program on-site based on their specific needs.

The majority of the program's courses are offered virtually, making them ideal for residents who have a desire to upskill with classes that can fit into their busy schedules. In addition, a number of the courses operate on an open-enrollment format, making it even easier to join when it is convenient.

Areas of emphasis include information technology, business/data analytics and advanced manufacturing industries. ASU is looking into hosting courses that will require in-person attendance at the ASU Chandler Innovation Center.

Full news release