As the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed many aspects of life, the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) has ramped up into high gear to provide additional support to small businesses and workers. We’ve remained nimble and responsive to fill gaps where needed and keep Arizona’s economy moving forward. It hasn’t been easy, but with the help of partners in public health, the private sector and more, Arizona remains well-positioned to capitalize on our unmatched business environment and sustained momentum in 2021 and beyond.
The ACA’s efforts to mitigate disruptions caused by the pandemic began in the spring of 2020. Providing information was the first step in helping businesses affected by closures and disruptions navigate this new reality.
The ACA’s COVID-19 Business Resource webpage offers continually updated guidance sourced from the Arizona Governor’s Office, the Arizona Department of Health Services and local municipalities for all businesses, with information specific to those sectors directly affected. The site contains available financial resources, assistance for jobseekers, manufacturers facing supply chain disruptions and updates on the infrastructure that’s essential to our new learning and work-from-home environment.
We also rolled up our sleeves to expand our one-on-one work with businesses and get their employees back to work.
The ACA, in partnership with Local First Arizona, immediately began offering the Arizona Small Business Boot Camp & Resource Collective to help Arizona’s small businesses respond to the impacts of COVID-19. This statewide initiative includes community partners, local business leaders and subject matter experts who provide real-time support and available resources across Arizona in live, weekly sessions. More than 110 sessions have been offered since March of 2020, reaching more than 5,100 participants and including over 90 partners.
In addition, we’ve prioritized keeping displaced workers engaged in the workforce. Through the ACA’s Return Strong Upskilling Campaign, our team has provided support for those exploring a new career by connecting them with local career counselors. Arizona also partnered with Coursera, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and Intel to provide instruction and certification in cloud computing, information technology and Artificial Intelligence.
During this time, the ACA’s mission to attract new companies to Arizona and help those existing businesses expand has not wavered. In fact, interest in investing in our state remains as high as ever.
Companies doing business all over the world — Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Amazon, Red Bull and Zoom Communications, to name a few — have announced plans to relocate or expand operations in the state. They’re drawn here by Arizona’s top talent, strategic geographic location, modern infrastructure, affordable costs, good governance and excellent quality of life.
As a result, more jobs are being created and Arizonans are going back to work. Through October, Arizona employment has reached 96 percent of pre-pandemic levels, representing one of the fastest recoveries in the nation.
There is more work to do, but there is no doubt, Arizona is well on its way to recovery. We will continue to focus on supporting the hardworking entrepreneurs and employees impacted most by this pandemic, while showcasing Arizona’s unbeatable business climate. The state is maintaining our forward momentum in the midst of 2020’s unprecedented challenges, and together, we will return even stronger. hairy girl займ за 5 минутгосударственный займсрочно займ на карту займ платизазайм через систему контакт без отказовсрочный займ на киви кошелек от частных лиц займ на 10 днейвзять займ в манимензайм 10000 на 3 месяца