Arizona Western Entrepreneurial College

10/05/2026

Arizona Western College in partnership with Fortinet will be hosting a FREE Fast Track Workshop for public sector users on Thursday, October 22nd.

This workshop covers how FortiAnalyzer, part of the Fortinet Security Fabric, helps security teams simplify SOC operations by providing broad visibility across an organization's attack surface, reducing complexity through integrated tooling, and automating workflows to accelerate response times. Attendees will gain hands-on experience with advanced logging and reporting, Security Fabric analytics, playbook-driven automation, and custom report generation.

The workshop will run from 10am to 3pm and be held in the Fernandez Family Cybersecurity Lab (BA Building, Room 101) on the AWC Yuma campus. Registration for this free workshop is required, and attendees are asked to bring a laptop to participate in the labs.

Find out more or register now at: https://events.fortinet.com/fortinetfasttrackworkshops_2026/yumaaz102226

📆 Thursday, October 22nd
🕙 10am – 3pm
🏫 BA Building, Room 101; AWC Yuma Campus - 2020 S Ave 8E in Yuma

Questions/More Info: [email protected]

10/01/2026

A team from Arizona Western College has advanced from the preliminary round of the 2026 Ratcliffe Pitch for the Skilled Trades Competition and will make their pitch in-person at the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship's annual conference next month in Boston.

Their pitch proposal, "Semiconductor Processing Technician Certificate: Opening the Clean Room Door to High-Wage Skilled Trades Careers", would help fund the creation of a Semiconductor Processing Technician Certificate as the starting point for a pathway into lucrative semiconductor and advanced manufacturing careers.

Through hands-on training in clean room operations, contamination control, wafer handling, safety, electrostatic discharge awareness, quality documentation, and semiconductor manufacturing fundamentals, the project will prepare students for entry-level technician roles while giving regional employers a practical workforce pipeline they can help validate and sustain.

The team behind the pitch included Dr. Shadi Kilani, Cinthia Reyes, Miguel Rios, and Steve Eckert. Their final presentation will be in Boston on November 2nd. Best of luck to the pitch team!

09/24/2026

Today's your last chance to reserve your spot for the 2026 Yuma & La Paz Pitch Competition Gala on October 6th from 4pm–6pm!

📣Cheer on our participants at our 4th edition of the Plant, Pitch and Prosper Pitch Competition!

Join us as entrepreneurs take the stage in this exciting Shark Tank-Style competition, compete for the crowd favorite, and connect with community leaders and follow business owners.

Plus, we’ll celebrate the 2026 Small Business Success Award Winners!

Date: October 6, 2026
Time: 4:00PM - 6:00PM
Location: AWC Schoening Conference Center - North Wing
Cost: $45 per ticket
Prepaid reservations are required. RSVP by September 24!

Come support the entrepreneurs helping shape the future of Yuma and La Paz Counties!🌵

09/23/2026

Last week, Arizona Western College celebrated the opening of the Parker Welding Lab at the AWC Parker Community Center. The dedicated welding facility will expand career and technical education offerings for the Parker community.

"We've worked very hard over the past two years to get the Parker Welding Lab up and running,” said Randy Hartless, Associate Dean for La Paz County. “I'm very excited to get started on some welding programs in La Paz County!"

“The Parker Welding Lab represents an important investment in our students and the community,” said Cinthia Reyes, Executive Director & Dean of Career & Technical Education & Nursing. “By offering welding classes in both the fall and spring semesters, we are creating more opportunities for students to gain hands-on, industry-relevant skills close to home. Our goal is to continue building the welding pathway in Parker so students can prepare for rewarding careers in the skilled trades.”

“After several visits to La Paz County this summer, it’s exciting to see our plans coming to life,” said Susanna Zambrano, Dean of Regional Centers & Adult Education. “Welding is a valuable, high-demand trade that can open doors to strong, well-paid careers. A special thank you to Cinthia Reyes, Tannar Dehart, and Samuel Colton for their leadership in making this possible. We’re listening to our community and working hard to bring more opportunities closer to home."

The first round of welding courses started on September 15th, and the college aims to launch an entry level certification in Spring 2027.

To learn more about welding offerings in La Paz County, contact the Parker Learning Center at [email protected] or 928-669-2214

09/21/2026

Lisa Shimkat, Associate Administrator for the Office of Field Operations at the U.S. Small Business Administration, visited Arizona Western College this morning to present a ceremonial check for the $5 million grant received as part of the SBA's Manufacturing in America E2G Grant Initiative.

AWC was one of 11 recipients nationwide in the $50 million program.

The award will fund hands-on manufacturing training and business advisement for small manufacturers and startups across Southwest Arizona, as well as support AWC's existing manufacturing training programs, including the Wellton Manufacturing Training Center and the Manufacturing Business and Automation Accelerator.

09/15/2026

Applications are now open for the Spring 2027 Fire Academy at Arizona Western College. This one-semester academy provides the knowledge and practical skills needed to pursue Firefighter I and II certification.

📅 Applications accepted through October 26
🚒 Academy begins January 12, 2027
📍 Applications available at the AWC Public Safety Building
📞 928-317-6452
📧 [email protected]

Take the first step toward a career in the fire service!

09/04/2026

📅 We will be closed on Monday, September 7th in observance of Labor Day.
No classes will be held and all offices will be closed.
Regular hours and classes will resume on Tuesday, September 8th.

09/02/2026

AWC Continuing Education would like to recognize Sivasankar Kunapuli for his contributions to our Basic Industrial Controls Training!

Sivasankar's dedication, hard work, and willingness to go the extra mile played an important role in making this training a success. He consistently demonstrated professionalism, expertise, and a genuine commitment to providing a high-quality learning experience.

From developing the curriculum to delivering the hands-on training, Sivasankar's attention to detail, preparation, and extra effort truly made a difference. We are grateful to have an instructor who is not only knowledgeable in his field, but also dependable, dedicated, and passionate about sharing his expertise with others.

We are appreciative of his efforts and collaboration with our department to provide specialized training for one of our valued community partners. This is a wonderful example of how workforce training can help strengthen skills, support local employers, and make a positive impact in our community.

Thank you for helping us make a difference!

For more information about the Customized Training we can provide for your business, or any of our other Continuing Education offerings, give us a call at (928) 317-7674 or email us at [email protected]

08/27/2026

Arizona Western College student Hector Zepeda has been announced as the national winner of the 2026 Emerging Leader Award through the US Department of Energy Expansion Industrial Training and Assessment Center (ITAC).

The award honors a student in their first year who excels in leadership roles, takes initiative, and demonstrates skill.

Last year, Zepeda participated in the ITAC at AWC, making home visits with Interim Director of Manufacturing Miguel Rios to provide free technical energy assessments to local manufacturers.

"It is a privilege and an honor to present this award to Hector,” Rios said. “This young man has demonstrated the willingness to go out of his level of comfort and demonstrate his willingness to improve. Hector is well versed in a multitude of topics, and I very much enjoyed the conversations we had as we traveled to Show Low, AZ to perform an energy assessment for a manufacturing company. I am excited to see what the future holds for Hector as he progresses in his career."

The ITAC at AWC was established following a grant from the US Department of Energy in 2024.

08/25/2026

Arizona Western College is hiring a Director of Manufacturing to lead innovative workforce programs and build meaningful partnerships between education and industry. This is a leadership role with real impact-- developing curriculum, mentoring faculty, and helping prepare the next generation for high-demand careers in advanced manufacturing.

If you're ready to turn vision into action, apply here: https://azwestern.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/5642?c=azwestern

Or check out all of our current openings here: https://azwestern.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home?c=azwestern