How Arizona’s MedTech Industry Is Leading Workforce Development

Arizona’s manufacturing workforce is booming, with the state’s employment levels outpacing the rest of the country’s. To support innovation and the growing workforce, particularly in medical device manufacturing, one of the Medical Device Manufacturer Multiplier (MDM2) Strategy Development Consortium’s core priorities is workforce development. 

MDM2 is working to ensure Arizona’s workforce meets the growing demand for top talent in medical device manufacturing. In partnership with companies like West Pharmaceutical Services, one of the consortium’s two dozen regional partners are creating skills development opportunities and career exploration opportunities, starting as early as K-12, to inspire the next generation of MedTech innovators.

With a focused eye on young people who are interested in STEM career pathways, MDM2 and our consortium partners are learning what sets students up for success. We’re taking steps to prepare students to pursue in-demand career pathways in next-generation manufacturing and healthcare technology.

The Industry Defines the Workforce Needs

One-way MDM2 and our partners are learning about what skills are most essential is by leading conversations with medical device companies around workforce requirements. Medical device manufacturing employers are identifying specific job skills needed for advanced manufacturing roles. 

With this knowledge, we can support building programs in K-12 schools to meet real-time and future job demands. MDM2 has partnered with West Pharmaceutical Services to work with local community colleges to co-develop programs relevant to the medical device manufacturing industry, to ensure students gain the specific skills needed for MedTech careers. 

For example, West Pharma and other MDM2 partners have identified quality assurance (QA) as a high-need role in medical device manufacturing and are now working with education providers to co-design a curriculum. Colleges are inventorying existing courses, spotting the gaps, and figuring out what needs to be built out to support future certificates related to QA positions in medical device manufacturing, teaching skills such as technical documentation, inspection techniques and workplace quality systems.

As MDM2 continues to foster conversations about how to prepare entry-level workers for successful careers in medical device manufacturing, new courses and degree and certificate programs will become available in Arizona schools, starting with developing those skills in as young as elementary school. 

How MDM2 Partner West Pharmaceutical Services Is Making a Difference

West Pharmaceutical Services is actively involved in shaping workforce initiatives. The company is supporting programs that train candidates for specialized MedTech positions. 

For example, the company has established various mechanical apprenticeship programs, with focuses of study including:

• CNC Programming of Milling and Turning Centers

• Front Line Supervisors

• Industrial Electricity (Mechatronics)

• Industrial Manufacturing Technicians

• Injection Molding

• Programmable Logic Controllers for Robotics

  
  

West Pharmaceutical Services’ leadership demonstrates the value of industry-driven workforce development. 

MDM2’s Role in Connecting the Ecosystem

As part of our workforce development mission, MDM2 connects employers, education institutions and workforce organizations to create a talent pipeline for medical device manufacturing. The consortium’s workforce action plan supports ecosystem growth.  

For example, one organization that’s creating an impact with MDM2 is Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Phoenix. As a federal Strategic Development Grant recipient, we’re working with organizations like LISC Phoenix to create more education and work opportunities for high-tech jobs in medical manufacturing, including for low and moderate income communities.

As Mariana Torres, Program Officer at LISC Phoenix says, “From a workforce perspective, exposure is key. The more individuals from under-resourced communities learn about and engage in medical device design, the more likely they are to create innovations that reflect their lived experience…Access starts by inviting people into the field and equipping them with the tools to lead.”

“At LISC, we partner with organizations that have deep knowledge of the populations they serve,” Torres continues. “We provide capacity-building support, facilitate strategic collaborations, and help design solutions tailored to emerging community needs. Listening to these organizations, and responding with flexible, timely resources, is how we support locally driven solutions.”

MDM2 helps align industry needs with training programs to accelerate talent development. This approach strengthens Arizona’s position in MedTech/medical devices manufacturing and innovation.

“Through best practice exchanges and collaboration with local stakeholders, we’ve identified several key strategies [to expand the workforce],” Torres says. “One is expanding apprenticeship and earn-to-learn models, which provide paid, hands-on training, alongside formal instruction. These models build real-world skills and create employer-aligned talent pipelines.”

“We also see the need to co-design curriculum with employers to ensure training reflects real time industry needs,” Torres continues. “It’s equally important to start early, building a strong K-12 pipeline with consistent exposure to careers in medical device manufacturing. To track success, we can measure how many students are introduced to the field, participation rates in training programs and career pathway development and placement outcomes.”

Why Workforce Strength Is Central to Arizona’s MedTech Momentum

A specialized, well-prepared workforce is essential to MedTech growth in Arizona. Industry-led workforce programs help companies scale faster and more effectively. 

The workforce development we’re working on at MDM2 supports key areas, such as medical device manufacturing, AI-powered healthcare and closed-loop technologies. By using these focus areas to create curriculum, apprenticeships and other workforce development initiatives, MDM2 and our consortium partners are supporting the next generation of medical device manufacturing professionals in Arizona.

With support from the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Arizona’s workforce strategies are positioning the region as a national leader in MedTech innovation and talent readiness. To learn more about MDM2’s mission and priorities, visit here.