- Details
- By Chez Oxendine
- Economic Development
Squeezed for space and facing a construction boom in the region, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe’s economic development arm is building for the future.
The tribe’s Pascua Yaqui Development Corporation (PYDC) enterprise will use $4 million in grant funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to construct a new workforce development center, where it will train tribal members and neighboring community residents for careers, with an initial focus on the construction industry.
The goal is to train up project managers and heavy equipment operators ahead of a glut of construction coming to the Tucson area, according to PYDC CEO Daune Cardenas.
“Construction in this area is going to be non-stop for 10 to 20 years. We’ve got a lot of building to do here in Tucson, and we just don’t have a lot of experienced staff,” Cardenas told Tribal Business News. “We’re bringing some great jobs to the area and we can get them trained now.”
That decision falls neatly into PYDC’s overall plans: one of the development corporation’s subsidiaries, Sonoran Pueblo Contracting, is an 8(a) certified construction company that does work in the commercial, residential, and federal contracting sectors. PYDC also currently offers apprenticeship and scholarship programs.
Having its own facility will expand what can be offered to tribal members and the community, Cardenas said.
Training tribal members to work in that field helps support Sonoran as well as local tribal and community projects, Cardenas said. For example, she noted, the tribe will eventually break ground on a new casino planned for land recently taken into trust.
Arizona’s Congressional delegation said the EDA grant would help bolster the economy in Southern Arizona and create much-needed growth opportunities for tribal members.
“Arizona’s economy has unique needs, especially in rural and tribal communities, and it’s important that we continue to support these areas through targeted investments,” Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) said in a statement. “This funding for the Pascua Yaqui community is a prime example of how we can create good-paying jobs and bolster our workforce. By constructing a new training facility and providing essential resources, we are helping to build a stronger, more resilient economy for Southern Arizona.”
Gina Raimondo, secretary of the Commerce Department, which includes EDA, echoed the sentiment. The EDA funding will get members of the Pascua Yaqui community “the skills they need for quality jobs in the construction trade,” Raimondo said in a statement.
The training center will alleviate space issues for the tribe when it comes to workforce development. At 23,000 members and with a comparatively small reservation, Cardenas said, the Pascua Yaqui tribe has struggled to find space for many of its tribal programs.
“We all fight for space on our small reservation, so every time we get a training facility or place to train, we would get bumped and moved,” Cardenas said. “As we moved forward, we realized we weren't the only ones struggling with finding this space, so we began seeking out partners.”
Cardenas listed the Workforce Training Academy and the Tohono O’odham Community College as examples of existing partners. The new training center offers the chance to expand those partnerships, she said.
“We've made other partnerships and we're looking forward to new relationships and opportunities,” Cardenas said. “This is a great opportunity.”
Cardenas expects construction of the new facility to take around 18 months, though material shortages — particularly on electrical components — might draw that out. (The EDA grant gives the organization five years to get the training facility on its feet.)
“It’s going to be a field of dreams for trades training,” Cardenas told Tribal Business News. “This is going to have a really positive impact on the tribe and the community. It’s going to be fantastic.”
Once complete, the workforce development center should create 160 jobs, with more to come down the line.
“The jobs that we’re creating are going to help people afford housing here in Tucson. We’re really excited to bring that to our community,” Cardenas said. “This is just perfect timing.”
