>> NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, A VISIT WITH MARICOPA COUNTY REPORTER STEVEN RICHARD AND LATER IN THE HOUR ON CRONKITE NEWS, WHY IT'S TAKING LONGER TO CHANGE COLORS.

SUPPORT IN THE LOW SINGLE DIGITS AND MASTER SAID HE WELCOMED THE ENDORSEMENT IN THE KELLY CAMPAIGN MADE NO MENTION OF THE MOVE.

OTHER HEADLINES, U.S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ISSUED A TEMPORARY HOLD THAT BARS BARS THE DEPARTMENT FROM GIVING DONALD TRUMP OF THE HIDDEN FINANCES AND SUGGESTS THE HIGH COURT WILL EVENTUALLY RULE ON THE MATTER AND THIS AS TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR DEMOCRATS TO OBTAIN THE TAX RETURNS BEFORE REPUBLICANS RETAKE CONGRESS IN NEXT WEEK'S ELECTION AND CALL IT OFF.

THE SUPREME COURT REFUSED TO BLOCK A GEORGIA GRAND JURY TO LINDSEY GRAHAM AND CALL FOR HIM TO TESTIFY IN AN INVESTIGATION INTO ATTEMPTS TO INTERFERE WITH THE 2020 ELECTION RESULTS IN GEORGIA.

GRAHAM HAD REQUESTED THE HIGH COURT BLOCKED THE SUBPOENA AND THE JUSTICES DECLINED THAT AND SAYING HE THUS WOULDN'T HAVE TO TESTIFY WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION.

>>> SOMETHING OF A SURPRISE REGARDING THE ECONOMY, JOB OPENINGS ROSE IN SEPTEMBER AND THE INCREASE CAME DESPITE HIGHER INTEREST RATES THAT WERE EXPECTED TO TIGHTEN THE JOB MARKET BY SLOWING THE ECONOMY AND THE NUMBERS EQUATE TO 1.9 POSTED JOB OPENINGS FOR EVERY UNEMPLOYED WORKER.

>> ELECTION DAY IS A WEEK FROM TODAY AND WITH THAT IN MIND, WE THOUGHT WE WOULD GET AN UPDATE ON ALL THINGS ELECTION RELATED AND WE WELCOME THE MARICOPA COUNTY RECORDER, STEVEN RICHARDS.

YOU'RE A BUSY MAN.

>> PRESIDENT OBAMA WILL BE HERE AND PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS HERE NOT TOO LONG AGO AND THAT'S INDICATIVE OF WHEREAS AS IS AT.

>> INDEED, IT IS.

>> WE NEED YOUR BALLOT IN OUR POSSESSION BY 7:00 P.M. ON ELECTION NIGHT, WHICH IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8th, AND IF YOU DON'T MAIL IT BACK BY TODAY, YOU CAN DROP IT OFF AT ANY VOTING LOCATION OR AT A BALLOT DROP BOX OR COME DOWN TO OUR HEADQUARTERS IN CENTRAL PHOENIX.

>> WHERE DO YOU FIND THE VOTING LOCATIONS?

>> LOCATIONS.MARICOPA.VOTE.

THE ELECTION IS ONE THIRD OF THE WAY THROUGH AND WE'VE RECEIVED CLOSE TO 700,000 EARLY BALLOTS AND WE EXPECT THAT WE'LL HAVE ABOUT 1.6 MILLION VOTERS IN MARICOPA COUNTY FOR THIS GENERAL ELECTION.

BUT WE'RE READY AND WE'VE BEEN PREPARING FOR A LONG TIME AND DOING JURISDICTIONAL ELECTIONS AND WE HAD THE AUGUST PRIMARY AND WE'VE BEEN THROUGH OUR FAIR SHARE OF CHALLENGES AND DOING WELL.

>> WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST CONCERN?

>> JUST PEOPLE ACCEPTING THE RESULTS SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING BECAUSE IT'S CLOUDED THE LAST TWO YEARS AND COLORED THE CONVERSATION SO WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE THIS PROCESS RATHER THAN REHASHING OLD DEBATES.

>> IT WOULD BE EASIER IF PEOPLE GOT RESULTS QUICKER AND SAW THINGS FASTER AND HOW DOES THAT WORK?

8:00 HITS AND WE FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON, WHICH BALLOTS DO WE UNDERSTAND FIRST?

>> A LOT OF COMMUNICATING ON THIS FRONT AND THE MORE PEOPLE KNOW, THE MORE LIKELY TO ACCEPT THE RESULTS.

AT 8:00 P.M. ON ELECTION NIGHT, WE WILL IMMEDIATELY RELEASE ALL OF THE BALLOTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED BY SATURDAY BEFORE TUESDAY ELECTION DAY.

SO ALL OF THE EARLY BALLOTS BY SATURDAY BEFORE TUESDAY, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO SCAN THOSE AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ONE VOTE FOR THAT PROFILE, SIGNATURE VERIFIED AND SET THOSE TO THE BIPARTISAN TEAMS AND TO TABULATI NEW YORKTABULATION AND THAT WAS 70%.

>> DO YOU EXPECT THE SAME THING IN GENERAL.

>> FOR PEOPLE WHO VOTE, ARE THOSE DROPPING OFF FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS, WHEN DID THOSE VOTES GET TABULATED?

>> IF YOU VOTE ON ELECTION DAY, YOU STAND IN LINE AND YOU CHECK IN AND GET A BALLOT PRINTED AND FILL IT OUT AND 75 PLUS CONTEST AND FEED IT INTO THE MINI-TABULATEOR AND THOSE MEMORY DRIVES ARE DRIVEN BACK TO THE FACILITY IN CENTRAL PHOENIX AND THOSE ARE UPLOADED AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSES.

IF YOU VOTE ON ELECTION DAY, YOUR RESULTS ARE MADE CLEAR STARTING 9:00 A.M., 10:00 P.M., 11:00 P.M. ON ELECTION NIGHT.

>> WE HAVE OUR ELECTION SPECIAL AND WE'VE DONE THIS FOR YEARS AND IT SEEMS LIKE YOU SEE SOMETHING, BUT WHEN YOU WAKE UP THE NEXT MORNING, IT'S CHANGED.

>> ABSOLUTELY, BECAUSE WE'RE SO TABULATING THOSE RESULTS AND IMPORTANTLY, ANY EARLY BALLOTS IN THOSE GREEN AFFIDAVIT PACKETS DROPPED OFF, WE STILL HAVE TO RETRIEVE THOSE AND SCAN THEM IN AND DO THE SIGNATURE VERIFICATION AND THAT'S THE TAIL ON THE NEXT THREE DAYS.

>> THAT'S KIND OF A PAIN IN THE YOU KNOW WHAT, ISN'T IT?

[ Laughter ] >> EARLY FOR GOODNESS SAKES AND THIS SLOWS DOWN THE PROCESS.

>> IT DID YOU, BUT I ASSUME YOU DID IT ONCE.

>> NO, I HAVE NOT.

>> I THINK THAT'S HUMAN NATURE AND SO WE'VE SEEN IT TO COMBAT AND SOME PEOPLE WANT TO HOLD ONTO THE BITTER END AND IT'S A MATTER OF WHEN.

>> ARE THERE AREAS OF THE COUNTY THAT TYPICALLY LAG JUST FOR WHATEVER REASON?

IT'S FAR FLUNG AND MAYBE WHATEVER, THE HOMES AREN'T CLOSE TOGETHER.

DO THEY COME IN AT THE SAME TIME OR AREAS THAT LAG?

>> FOR THE EARLY BALLOT, THEY ARE PRODUCED AT THE SAME TIME AND FOR THOSE ELECTION NIGHT RESULTS, TALKING ABOUT DRIVING THOSE MEMORY DRIVES FROM THE MINI-TABULATORS AT THE LOCATIONS, THEN, YES, OBVIOUSLY, IT JUST TAKES A LONGER TIME TO GET TO THE CENTRAL LEX ELECTION SERVER.

>> I WAS GOING TO JOKE ABOUT THE MULES TAKING SO FAR AND ON HORSES.

BUT RECOUNT, WHAT TRIGGERS A RECOUNT?

>> THE RECOUNT THRESHOLD HAS BEEN EXPANDED AND AS JUDGED BY THE 2020 GENERAL LEX RESULTS, ELECTION RESULTS, FIVE RACES AND SO IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT WE WILL BE DOING RECOUNTS AFTER THE CERTIFICATION AT THE END OF NOVEMBER AND THEN INTO DECEMBER.

>> HOW LONG DO THE RECOUNTS TAKE?

>> SO FIRST ALL OF THE COUNTIES HAVE TO CERTIFY THEIR ELECTIONS AND THEN TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE WHO HAS TO CERTIFY AND THEN ONCE WE WERE THOSE RESULTS, IF THEY FALL WITHIN THAT MARGIN AND IT'S BEEN EXPANDED.

IN THE GUBERNATORIAL CONTEST, LIKE 14,000 VOTE DIFFERENCE COULD TRIGGER THAT THIS, WHICH IS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT.

IT'S NOT EVEN POSSIBLE.

BUT IT COULD TRIGGER IT AND THEN AFTER THE SECRETARY OF STATE CANVASS, THEN WE WILL GET A COURT ORDER AND BEGIN THE RETAB RETABULATION PROCESS.

>> WHAT CAN WE EXPECT.

>> YOU?

>> YOU TEST IT ALL AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE DID THIS BEFORE WE USED IT AND RAN THROUGH TEST BALLOTS TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE READING CORRECTLY AND THEN AFTER THE ELECTION, AFTER WE RUN ALL OF THE BALLOTS THROUGH, THE POLITICAL PARTIES COME TOGETHER IN GROUPS OF THREE, BIPARTISAN GROUPS OF THREE AND HAN COUNT A STATISTICALLY SAMPLE OF PLOTS BLOTS BALLOTS.

>> YOU REALIZE THAT WON'T BE ENOUGH FOR SOME FOLKS.

>> WE DO REALIZE THAT AND WE REALIZED THAT VERY, VERY STARKLY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S SOUND AND WE KNOW THAT VERIFIES IT'S SOUND AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT SECURITY AT POLLING PLACES.

WHAT'S IN STORE THERE?

>> THEY HAVE BENT OVER BACKWARDS TO MAKE SURE THIS IS THE MOST SECURE.

THIS MEANS YOUR VOTERS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING FOR THIS PROCESS BECAUSE WE HIRE THREE THOUSAND TEMPORARY WORKERS TO PULL THIS OFF.

REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS, LIBERTARIANS WORKING IN PART AND THEY HAVE COMMITTED A TON OF RESOURCES AS HAVE OUR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS.

>> MORE RESOURCES THAN USUAL?

>> MANY MORE RESOURCES THAN USUAL AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO IS AN IMPRESSIVE ARMY DOWN AT OUR FACILITY.

>> AND AS FAR AS MISINFORMATION REGARDING THE VOTING PROCESS, WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT THAT?

I MEAN, WHAT CAN BE DONE?

>> WE'RE RELYING ON YOU?

[ Laughter ] >> WITH TRY TO PUTWE'VE BEEN HAVING WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCES FOR THE FIRST TIME AND WE REDESIGN OUR WEBSITE AND I'M ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

THE ONLY THING, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE ASK US.

WE LOVE ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'M MOST PROUD OF IS THAT IF YOU SEND AN EMAIL TO OUR GENERAL VOTER INBOX, IF YOU DID THAT DURING THE BUSINESS DAY, WE'RE AVERAGING LESS THAN 30 MINUTES AND RESPONDING TO THAT.

WE WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AND MOST OF THE DAY, WE ANSWER QUICKLY.

>> LET'S HOPE IT HAPPIES QUICKLY.

>> REGARDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR ABILITY TO VOTE, YOU'RE USING THE SHOTS HERE AND THIS IS VERY ENCOURAGING FOR THESE FOLKS?

>> SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT OUR ELECTION SYSTEM BE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL MARICOPA COUNTY RESIDENTS AND THAT MEANS RESIDENTS WITH THE SPECIAL ASSISTIVE NEEDS, AS WELL AS IN-PERSON AND ALSO FOR EARLY VOTING, SO WE DO THINGS LIKE SEND THESE OVERSIZED BALLOTS.

>> HOLD THAT UP.

THAT IS A MASSIVE BALLOT.

WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS TOO LONG, HERE IT.

>> BUT IT WORKS, DOESN'T IT?

>> IT DOES.

WE PRODUCE THIS BRAILLE BALLOT FOR THOSE WHO READ BRAILLE AND AN ENTIRE BOOK WITH ALL 75 PLUS RACES ON IT AND WRITTEN IN BRAILLE SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO -- YOU CAN VOTE FROM HOME JUST LIKE ANY OTHER VOTER.

>> THAT'S ENCOURAGING AND A GREAT WAY TO END OUR CONVERSATION AND ALWAYS A PLEASURE AND GOOD LUCK ON ELECTION NIGHT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, A NEW PROGRAM TO HELP VETERANS AND OTHERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOUSING ISSUES.

>> A NEW PROGRAM ALLOWS VETERANS AND OTHERS FACING HOUSING ISSUES AND HOMELESSNESS TO BE MATCHD WITH A ROOMMATE TO AFFORD HOUSING.

THAN THAT ELLIS WITH THE ACTION NEXUS TO TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> THE ACTION NEXUS, WHAT IS THAT?

>> THE ACTION NEXUS IS IN THE WATTS COLLEGE IN SOLUTIONS AND ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS OLD AND IT HELPS TO CONNECT AND BOOST EFFORTS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT EXIST AND ADD SOME ASU RESOURCES ALONG THE WAY.

WE HAVE INTERNS AT AGENCIES AND FACULTY DOING RESEARCH AND COLLECTING DATA AND WE INCUBATE PROGRAMS AND JUST STARTED THAT OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM THAT PAIRS UP VETERANS AND IT SOUNDS LIKE A ROOMMATE SERVICE IN A WAY.

>> IT GOES BEYOND THAT.

THE SHARED HOUSING INSTITUTE IS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT ACTUALLY MARICOPA COUNTY BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION A YEAR AGO AND THERE WERE VARIOUS AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY THAT WENT THROUGH THE ONLINE TRAINING AND THE LOCAL GROUPS DECIDED THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN HERE IN ARIZONA.

THE GROUPS CONTINUED TO MEET, TALKED ABOUT THIS TARGET POPULATIONS THEY BELIEVED WOULD BE BEST SERVED AND THEN IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE ACTION NEXUS WOULD HIRE AN EMPLOYEE THAT COULD OVERSEE THIS PROGRAM AND SO, WE JUST HIRED HER A MONTH AGO.

>> TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND HOW EXACTLY DOES IT WORK?

>> SO WE WORK WITH AGENCIES THAT ALREADY HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND HOUSING FOR AND SO AS YOU AID, WE PLAN TO START WITH VETERAN'S ORGANIZATIONS.

THE GROUP ITSELF AND THIS WHOLE COMMUNITY GROUP DECIDED THIS WOULD BE THE TARGET.

VETERANS ARE USED TO LIVING WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND THEY ALSO SHARE A LOT OF COMMON EXPERIENCES.

WE THOUGHT WE WOULD START WITH THEM AND A LOT OF VOUCHERS AVAILABLE TO HOUSE INDIVIDUALS.

BUT THE SHARED HOUSING CONCEPT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT A LOT OF THE TRADITIONAL WAYS TO HOUSE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOUSELESSNESS IS A ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENT.

WE ALL KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE, ME INCLUDED, THAT SHARING AN APARTMENT WITH SOMEONE AND BEING ABLE TO SPLIT THE RENT MAKES SENSE FINANCIALLY.

WITH THE WAY OUR HOUSING MARKET IS IN PHOENIX, THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

>> HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT WHO SHOULD BE IN THE PROGRAM AND WHO SHOULD BE TEAMED UP WITH SOMEONE ELSE IN THE PROGRAM?

ARE THERE QUESTIONNAIRES AND HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> SO THERE ARE VARIOUS LISTS THAT TRACK PEOPLE BY NAME AND GIVE THEM PREFERENCE BASED ON A VERY COMPLICATED SURVEY THAT THEY FILL OUT, BUT WITH THIS, WE REALLY WANT IT TO BE THE INDIVIDUAL'S CHOICE OF WHO THEY LIVE WITH.

WE'RE NOT FORCING PEOPLE TO LIVE TOGETHER.

SO IT STARTS WITH PEOPLE MEETING AND FILLING OUT SURVEYS AND A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS HAVE TO DO WITH, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT PETS AND WHAT DO YOU YOU THINK ABOUT SMOKING?

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE MATCH WORKS AND SO, IT'S NOT JUST A ROOMMATE MATCHING.

OUR EMPLOYEE, SHE'S GOING TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO ENSURE THAT MATCH CONTINUES TO WORK.

WHILE THE AGENCY CONTINUES TO DO CASE MANAGEMENT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL.

>> THERE HAS TO BE CASE MANAGEMENT AND YOU NEVER KNOW HOW IT WILL WORK OUT AND YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT BECAUSE SOME FOLKS THINK IT'S NOT WORKING OUT AND OVER TIME, MAYBE IT'S WORKS OUT.

>> SHE HAS AN EXPERIENCE AS AN OUTREACH WORKER AND WE'RE CONFIDENT SHE CAN GET THIS PROGRAM UP AND RUNNING.

>> ARE THERE BEST PRACTICES TO LOOK AT WITH THIS PROGRAM?

>> THERE ARE AND SOME FOCUS ON SPECIFIC POPULATIONS.

THERE'S A PROGRAM IN CALIFORNIA THAT WORKS WITH MATCHING COLLEGE STUDENTS AND SENIORS TO HELP SENIORS PAY BILLS AND SO TARTING NEXT SPRING, WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS.

THERE'S A BIG NEED FOR HOUSING YOUTH 18 TO 24.

>> YES.

>> SO WE WILL EMBARK ON THAT IN MARCH.

>> THE SITUATION IN THE VALLEY WITH HOUSING AND IT'S ROUGH OUT THERE.

>> IT'S ROUGH, ROUGHER THAN WE'VE SEEN.

LAST YEAR ALONE, RENTS WENT UP IN PHOENIX 30%.

WE HAVE ABOUT 20% TO 25% IN OUR SHELTERS HERE THAT ARE EMPLOYED FULL TIME AND WE'VE SEEN MORE PEOPLE ON THE TREES BECAUSE STREETS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT MOVING INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE IT DOESN'T EXIST.

THE STATE OF ARIZONA, THEY DID A STUDY AND WE NEED 270,000 MORE UNITS OF HOUSING IN OUR STATE.

AND WHO HAS DONE A FEW MONTHS AGO.

>> WITH THAT IN MIND, HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL THIS PROGRAM AFFECT AND ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECEXPANSION.

>> THERE ARE AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME THIS WILL TAKE.

THERE ARE OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WORKING WITH SPECIFIC POPULATIONS AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THEM.

THERE'S A PROGRAM FOR SENIORS AND THAT ONE IS GETTING OFF THE GROUND AND SO WE HAVE A GROUP OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.

>> IS THERE A PLACE TO GO TO, A WEBSITE TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION?

>> WELL, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE ACTION NEXUS' WEBSITE AND THE INDIVIDUAL IS AMBER AND HER EMAIL IS ON THERE.

WE HAVE A GENERAL EMAIL ON OUR WEBSITE THAT PEOPLE CAN EMAIL US FOR INFORMATION.

>> SO MORE INFORMATION TO GO TO ACTION NEXUS.

>> YES.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS AND THE ACTION NEXUS ON HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS AND CONTINUED SUCCESS ON THIS.

>> THANK YOU.

♪♪ SPIPELINE AZ REPEATLY TEAMED UP WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO HELP STUDENTS FIGURE OUT THEIR CAREER PATHS AND FOR MORE, WE WELCOME PIPELINE AZ'S DIRECTOR, MARY FOOT, AND GOOD TO SEE YOU.

GIVE ME A BETTER DEFINITION OF PIPELINE AZ.

>> WE ARE A CAREER NAVIGATION PLATFORM AND WE HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR INTERESTS ARE AND MATCH THEM TO DEMAND INDUSTRIES AND THOSE IN-DEMAND PATHWAYS AND SHOW THEM HOW THEY GET THERE THROUGH EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND OPEN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FOCUS FOR STUDENTS, THOUGH, AND GETTING THEM ON A CAREER PATH THAT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM AND MAKES SENSE FOR ALL OF US, I GUESS.

>> WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THIS TIME LAST YEAR TO PARTNER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ARIZONA EDUCATION AND THEY HAVE AN EDUCATION AND CAREER ACTION PLAN AND STUDENTS IN THE STATE ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THAT PLAN AND SO, WE PARTNER WITH THEM TO BE THE PLATFORM THAT HELPS THEM ACCOMPLISH THAT.

>> THE ACTION PLAN, ARE THERE THINGS TO FILL OUT?

>> A POST SECONDARY PLAN?

WHAT ARE MY INTERESTS, THE JOB JOBS I WANT?

WILL I GET A CERTIFICATION, CURRENT VOCATIONAL, EDUCATION AND WILL I GO TO A TWO-YEAR OR FOUR-YEAR SCHOOL OR MAYBE I'M DOING TO JOIN THE MILITARY?

THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND WE WANT TO HELP THE STUDENTS UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BEST FIT FOR THEM IS.

>> YOU SAY MANY DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND COULD SOMEONE THINK ABOUT MAYBE THE MILITARY AND MAYBE BROADCASTING OR MAYBE BUSINESS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS?

>> SO STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO FAVORITE MULTIPLE CAREER PATHWAYS.

THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE BEST COURSES TO TAKE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY CAN EXPLORE, WHAT IS THE BEST EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THEM POST HIGH SCHOOL IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS.

>> WHAT IS THE BEST TIME, DO YOU THINK FOR STUDENTS TO START DOING THIS?

>> I THINK VERY EARLY.

CAREER AWARENESS SHOULD START AS EARLY AS FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE AND YOU SHOULD START INTRODUCING DIFFERENT PATHWAYS.

SO MANY HOW WE END UP IN OUR CAREERS IS WHAT WE'RE EXPOSED TO.

EXPOSURE EARLY AND REALLY IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS, HELPING THEM IDENTIFY THE RIGHT COURSES TO TAKE IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT MATCH THEIR INTERESTS.

REGARDLESS, THEY'RE TAKING THINGS THAT ARE OF INTEREST, DEVELOPING SKILLS TO PATHWAYS.

>> I LOVE THE IDEA OF CAREER AWARENESS.

YOU DON'T WANT SOMEONE SAYING AT 12 YEARS OLD AND FINDING OUT WHEN THEY'RE 18 TO RUN A RESTAURANT OR SOMETHING.

YOU WANT WANT TO PIJEON HOLE.

>> OUR CAREERS THEY'RE NOT AWARE OF.

IN ARIZONA, WE HAVE SEMICONDUCTOR COMPANIES.

HOW ARE STUDENTS AWARE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES COMING TO THIS STATE AND HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED.

>> TALK TO US ABOUT THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CONTRACTED WITH PIPELINE AZ FOR THE PLATFORM CALL "MY FUTURE AZ" WHERE STUDENTS CAN GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL AND CAN SELECT THEIR SCHOOL AND ENTER INFORMATION, TAKE AN INTEREST ASSESSMENT AND WE'LL RECOMMEND DIFFERENT CAREER PATH WAVES BASED ON THEIR INTERESTS.

>> PUBLIC, PRIVATE, CHARTER SCHOOLS?

WE ARE OPEN AND AVAILABLE TO ANY SCHOOL.

WE DO HAVE ALL PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS LISTED ON THE PLATFORM AND WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS BY REQUEST.

BUT ALL OF IT IS FREE AND AVAILABLE DUE TO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARTNERSHIP WITHING.

WITH EDUCATION.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH EDUCATION, IS THIS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT AT THIS BUSINESS?

WE'RE DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO PARTNER WITH INDUSTRY AND WHAT THEY NEED IN TERMS OF A FUTURE WORKFORCE AND WE PARTNERED WITH DEPARTMENT OF ARIZONA COUNCIL AND WE HAVE THAT AVAILABLE AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING FROM THOSE COMPANIES WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF ENTRY LEVEL CERTIFICATIONS AND PUTTING THAT IN FRONT OF STUDENTS.

WE JUST PARTNERED WITH ACCESS IN DEVELOPING A HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY HUB TO UNDERSTAND THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE STUDENTS DEVELOPING AND BEING CAREER AWARE AND DEVELOPING OPTIONS, FAMILIES CAN TRACK, AS WELL, TOO.

>> AS FAR AS THE ACTION PLAN, THERE'S A SIGN-OFF AND PARENTS ARE ABLE TO LOG IN THROUGH STUDENT'S INVITATION AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR KIDS ARE SEEING AND CREATE THEIR OWN ACCOUNT AND CREATE A SIMILAR CAREER ASSESSMENT AND UNDERSTAND NOT ONLY EDUCATION AND TRAINING OPTIONS BUT WHAT ARE OPEN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE NOW.

>> HOW ABOUT TEACHERS, HOW MUCH ARE THEY INVOLVED IN THIS?

>> TEACHERS ARE VERY INVOLVED, TEACHERS GUIDANCE COUNSELORS, THEY'RE ABLE TO LOG INTO THEIR OWN VERSION OF THE ACCOUNT AND SEE THEIR STUDENTS, WHERE THEY ARE AND TRACK THEIR PROGRESS, MESSAGE THEM DIRECTLY THROUGH THE PLATFORM.

IT'S >> IT'S BASICALLY A WAY FOR KIDS TO BE AWARE OF WHAT'S OUT THERE AND KNOW THAT YOU CAN GO THIS DIRECTION, YOU CAN GO THAT DIRECTION AND HERE IS HOW IT WORKS AND HERE IS HOW YOU CAN GET THERE?

>> YEAH, I MEAN IT'S REALLY BEING ABLE TO SHOW STUDENTS THE CAREER PATHWAY AND WHAT DOES THAT FIRST STEP LOOK LIKE AND WHAT DOES MID-LEVEL STEPS AND WHAT IS THAT FIRST STEP?

>> THIS IS THE MY FUTURE AZ AND IT WILL HELP THEM OUT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING!

COMING UP ON ARIZONA PBS, CRONKITE NEWS.