Center for Career Readiness colleagues gathered at the conclusion of the 2026 Arizona Statewide Career Services Conference.
June 15, 2026
Career development professionals from institutions across Arizona gathered in Tucson on June 3 and 4 for the 2026 Arizona Statewide Career Services Conference.
Co-hosted by the University of Arizona Center for Career Readiness and Pima Community College, approximately 100 attendees representing universities and community colleges came together to at the Arizona Statewide Career Services Conference to examine the forces reshaping career and workforce development across the state.
The conference themes align directly with the University of Arizona’s Delivering on Our Promise strategic imperatives and the university’s North Star: Success for Every Student. Arizona’s rapidly evolving economy and expanding industries create both opportunity and urgency for career development professionals working in partnership with colleges, employers and campus partners to prepare students for what comes next. Convening this conversation in Southern Arizona, home to a dynamic regional economy, emerging industries and one of the most robust community college systems in the nation, reflects the University of Arizona’s commitment to leading that work with purpose and partnership.
Day 1, held at Pima Community College’s Downtown Campus, opened with a welcome from Denise Kingman, director of engagement and career services at Pima Community College. The day’s keynote, led by Holly Kurtz, director of workforce development, and Ian Dowdy, director of strategic data initiatives, both of the Center for the Future of Arizona, drew on the organization’s deep expertise in Arizona’s workforce landscape to examine the future of work and what it means for students and career development professionals across the state. An AI panel discussion followed, bringing together practitioners from Pima Community College, Voyager Technologies, the City of Tucson and the University of Arizona to examine how career services professionals can shape responsible AI implementation across their institutions. Attendees also had the opportunity to visit regional employers including the Marana Aquatic and Recreation Center, Caterpillar and the City of Tucson through optional employer treks before the conference opened.
Day 2 continued at the University of Arizona, where speakers included Emily McCarthy, executive director of the Center for Career Readiness, and Jenna Rickus, senior vice provost. The afternoon keynote, delivered by Jennie Grabel and Brook Gilliam of the Community Coalition for Prosperity, examined pathways to reducing generational poverty and increasing economic mobility in Pima County through aligned investments in housing, health, education and workforce systems. Twelve breakout sessions drew on expertise from universities, community colleges and regional employers across Arizona, with University of Arizona units joined by colleagues from Pima Community College, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and Chandler-Gilbert Community College.
“Hosting this conference alongside Pima Community College gave our profession something rare: the opportunity to slow down, look across institutional boundaries and learn from one another,” said Emily McCarthy, executive director of the Center for Career Readiness. “It was meaningful to welcome colleagues from across Arizona to Southern Arizona, a place that demands and develops the very qualities our students need to thrive: resilience, adaptability and community.”
The Center for Career Readiness is here to inspire and prepare all University of Arizona graduates to create lives of opportunity aligned with their purpose and values. Through career advising, experiential learning and campus-wide partnerships, the center connects students, employers and the broader Arizona community in support of meaningful pathways from education to employment.
For more information about the Center for Career Readiness, visit career.arizona.edu or contact career@arizona.edu.
