TED: COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON: A NEW FEDERAL REPORT SHOWS ERRORS IN ARIZONA'S FOOD STAMP PROGRAM.

ALSO TONIGHT, BANNER HEALTH RECENTLY COMPLETED OVER 50- ARTIFICIAL HEART IMPLANTS, THE MOST IN THE U.S.

OVER THE PAST YEARS.

AND, A STATEWIDE PARTNERSHIP PREPARES STUDENTS FOR CAREERS IN MANUFACTURING.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE, NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

ARIZONA HORIZON IS MADE POSSIBLE BY MEMBERS OF YOUR PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.

TED: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

A NEW FEDERAL REPORT SHOWS THAT ARIZONA'S ERROR RATE IN DETERMINING FOOD STAMP ELIGIBILITY IS GETTING WORSE.

THAT LACK OF IMPROVEMENT COMES AS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE PROGRAM.

TO LEARN MORE, WE WELCOME ARIZONA REPUBLIC REPORTER RAY STERN, HE'S BEEN COVERING THIS STORY.

RAY, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

SO THE ERROR RATE INCREASED THE LAST FISCAL YEAR DESPITE THE FACT THERE ARE FEWER PEOPLE TO ADD TO THE ERROR RATE.

DID I GET THIS RIGHT?

>> CORRECT.

THE ERROR RATE IS A LAGGING INDICATOR, THEY SAY, SO BASICALLY, WHAT THEY LOOK AT IS A TIMEFRAME THAT WAS ACTUALLY BEFORE OR MOSTLY BEFORE THE NEW RULES CAME ABOUT FOR SNAP.

AND SO, UM, THE NEW RULES ARE INCLUDED NOT ONLY THE WORK REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE REALLY TAKEN A LOT OF PEOPLE OFF THE ROLE BUT THEY INCLUDED NEW STRICT GUIDELINES FOR THE ERROR RATE IN SNAP RECIPIENTS OR THE SNAP PROGRAM, AND THERE IS MASSIVE PENALTIES IF ARIZONA DOES NOT HIT THE GOALS.

AND HR ONE IS WHERE THE PENALTIES COME TOLL PLAY, RIGHT.

>> THAT IS HR1.

>> HR1 BROUGHT HISTORIC CHANGES TO THE SNAP PROGRAM.

IT HAS BEEN THE SAME FOR THE DECADES.

WHAT THIS DOES, IT REALLY ADDS SOME NEW REQUIREMENTS, AGAIN, THE CORE REQUIREMENTS THAT CAUSED 50,000 PEOPLE TO BE DROPPED FROM THE PROGRAM.

WE HAD THE HIGHEST LOSS OF SNAP RECIPIENTS IN THE COUNTRY AND INCLUDED THE RULES FOR ERROR RATE.

ERROR RATE FOR THE SNAP PROGRAM IS WHEN THE SNAP, WHETHER THE SNAP PROGRAM IS HAVING TOO MANY OVERPAYMENTS OR UNDERPAYMENTS IN.

SO PEOPLE ARE ELIGIBLE TO GET A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH REALLY, YOU KNOW, OVER THE ENTIRE PROGRAM, THEY REQUIRED THAT, THIS ERROR RATE CANNOT BE TOO HIGH, EITHER WAY, OVERPAYMENT OR UNDERPAYMENT.

IF ARIZONA AND OTHER STATES HAVE TOO HIGH IF ERROR RATE, THE PENALTY RUNS TO THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS.

>> NO KIDDING.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ERROR RATE.

THE FED WANT THE ERROR RATE AT NEAR 6%.

ITS ALMOST TWICE THAT MUCH.

10.8%.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>> IT WAS.

IT WAS A SURPRISE TO SOME PEOPLE.

THEY ACTUALLY PREDICTED SOMETHING THAT WAS ROUGHLY THE SAME.

MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LETTER, SO WHEN THIS CAME OUT, IT, UM, YOU KNOW, DES WAS LIKE, WE HAVE BEEN WORK TOWARD GETTING THE ERROR RATE DOWN, SO TO EXPLAIN WHAT THEY ARE SAYING IN TERMS OF WHY THE ERROR RATE IS SO HIGH, SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE LOST BENEFITS, BUT ONE THING, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PEOPLE LOSING THE BENEFIT AND THE ERROR RATE, THOSE ARE TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS SO YOU CAN LOSE HALF THE POPULATION IN THE SNAP POPULATION, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE ERROR RATE HAS BEEN CUT DOWN BECAUSE WITH THE NEW RULES, THERE IS NEW CRITERIA.

TED: REAL QUICK, BEFORE YOU GO ANY FURTHER.

THERE IS FEWER PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH.

IF THERE IS A SMALLER SNAPPLE, THE ERROR RATE SHOULD NOT BE HIGHER.

>> TRUE.

>> NOT NECESSARILY.

>> OH.

ALL RIGHT.

>> IT ALL COMES DOWN TO INDIVIDUAL APPLICATIONS THAT PEOPLE ARE PUTTING IN, THEN WHAT THEY END UP GETTING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, AND THE ERROR RATE IS STRICTLY DEPENDENT ON THE MONEY THAT THE DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING AWAY.

OR THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE EMABILITY RANGE.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OFTEN CARES ABOUT THE MONEY.

THEY WANT TO HIT UP PENALTIES.

>> IS THERE ANY OF FREIGHTED THAT WE HAVE SEEN SO FAR THAT YOU HAVE UNCOVERED SO FAR SNOOZE I MEAN, IS IT ALL MESSING AROUND, GETTING THE BOOKS WRONG, GETTING THE OVER OR UNDER PAYMENTS, OR IS THERE FUNNY BUSINESS?

>> WELL, THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY WIDE JAIL FRAUD REPORTS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.

THERE IS.

AND A LOT OF, PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO, UM, BASICALLY, SHOW THEY HAVE THE RIGHT INCOME AMOUNT, FOR, FOR THE BEN FIT.

I KNOW, YOU CANNOT HAVE MUCH TOO MONEY OR NOT GETTING THE SNAP PEN FITS.

TED: SO CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG AGAIN HERE.

DES HAD SOME LAYOFFS HERE OF LATE.

ISN'T THAT?

ARE THEY STILL TRYING TO WORK THE WAY THROUGH THAT?

>> THEY ARE.

ALTHOUGH, THEY SAY THE NUMBER OF SNAP RECIPIENTS IS STARTING TO INCREASE AGAIN SO THEY ARE STABILIZE THE PROGRAM.

THIS, THIS NEW HR1 HAD REQUIREMENTS THAT ESSENTIALLY, JUST EXED OUT ABOUT 30% OF THE SNAP RECIPIENTS.

>> YEAH.

THEN, THE OTHER 770%, WHO NOW DON'T HAVE SNAP BENEFITS, THEY HAD A HARD TIME GETTING THEIR ELIGIBILITY APPROVED, SOME OF THEM, THEY ACTUALLY, MAYBE MULTIPLE OF THEM ELIGIBLE BUT THEY HAD OTHER PROBLEMS BECAUSE THE PERFECT STORM OF THE LAYOFFS THAT CAME BEFORE THE HR AND THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THEY HAVE AT DES AND THE BURDENSOME REQUIREMENTS THAT THIS HAS.

AGAIN, TAKE FOOD STAMPS HERE.

I MEAN, SO IF ARIZONA DOES GET ITS ERROR RATE DOWN TO CERTAIN LEVELS, DOES THAT MEAN THE PENALTY WE HAVE TO PAY, DOES THAT GO DOWN AS WELL.

THEN, WHAT REAL LIS STICK, CAN YOU REALISTICALLY GET ANYWHERE NEAR 6 PERCENT.

IT IS REALISTIC.

ARIZONA HAS BEEN THERE BEFORE.

AND THE PENALTY THAT WE'LL PAY IS KIND OF STAGGERED SO IF WE CAN GET IT UNDER 10% THEN INSTEAD OF PAYING 208 MILLION IN OUR FISCAL YEAR 28.

WE'LL PAY $136,348.

IF THE ERROR RATE IS BETWEEN 8 AND 10%.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT IS BIG SAVINGS AND THE STATE WOULD LIKE TO GET THAT IF THEY GET BELOW 8%, THEN, THEN THEY WOULD PAY LESS.

THEN BELOW 6 PERCENT THEN THE STATE DOESN'T HAVE TO PAY A PENALTY.

>> OK.

ARE THEY SAYING THEY ARE ON THE WAY TO 6% OR ARE THEY WAY TO UNDER 10.

THAT IS THE GOAL.

TO GET UNDER 6% OF COURSE.

>> WHAT ABOUT 10%.

THEY WORKING HARD TO GET IT UNDER 10%.

THEN, THAT IS WHAT THEY SAID ANYWAY.

SO, BUT, IN 2024, THE ERROR RATE WAS 8.8% AND SOP THE 10.8% THAT WE JUST FOUND OUT THAT WE HAVE.

THAT IS 2025.

AGAIN, IT IS LAGGING.

THEY ARE LOOKING BACKWARDS IN TIME.

DES SAYS THEY HAVE BEEN WORK ON GETTING THIS BETTER, SO WHEN THE NEWERROR RATE COMES OUT NEXT YEAR, IT SHOULD SHOW A LOWER RATE, AND THEN, IN THE THEN, WE GET TO THE SITE OF THE STATE.

IF WE USED THIS ERROR RATE OF 10.8 AND THE OTHER ONE OF THEM HOPE THINK THE OTHER ONE IS LOWER.

>> ALL RIGHT.

I AM STILL NOT CLEAR AGAIN.

REAL QUICKLY.

IF IT WAS LOWER, IT IS NOW HIGHER.

WHAT HAPPENS?

>> UM, WELL, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.

BASICALLY, DES HAS NOT BEEN DOING ITS JOB CORRECTLY AS ONE WAY TO LOOK AT THAT.

IT IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE.

ONE OF THE THUNS THAT THEY HAD BEEN DOING FOR EXAMPLE, IF A PERSON SAID, WELL, I DIDN'T MAKE THAT MUCH INCOME.

HERE IS THE RECORDS.

BUZZ I DON'T HAVE ALL THE RECORDS TO SHOW THAT.

I DIDN'T QUITE MAKE THAT MUCH INCOME SO CAN I GIVE YOU ON YOUR HONORED.

TED: YEAH.

>> THAT IS ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE STATE DOESN'T ALLOW ANY MORE, BUT THEY DID BEFORE.

AND THAT WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD LOOK AT BANK ACCOUNT RECORDS, THEN WAGE STATEMENTS, THEY WOULD SEE THAT, THIS PERSON ACTUALLY DIDN'T TELL THE TRUTH FOR WHATEVER REASON IT WAS INTENTIONAL.

MAYBE NOT.

SO, SO, THEIR EDGE K IS OFF.

THEY EITHER PAID TOO LITTLE, OR GOT PAID TOO MUCH.

NOW, ALL RIGHT.

RAY.

HOLY SMOKES.

WHAT A COMPLICATED JOB.

GREAT JOB REPORTING ON THIS.

ARIZONA CENTRAL.COM.

THANKS.

>> THANK YOU.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ TED: BANNER HEALTH HAS COMPLETED MORE THAN 50-TOTAL ARTIFICIAL HEART TRANSPLANTS.

IF THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT - IT IS.

IT'S MORE TRANSPLANT PROCEDURES THAN ANY OTHER CENTER WORLDWIDE SINCE 2022.

ARTIFICIAL HEART IMPLANTATION IS A CRUCIAL STEP FOR THOSE WITH END- STAGE HEART FAILURE WAITING FOR A DONOR HEART TO BECOME AVAILABLE.

DR.

FRANCISCO ARABIA JOINS US NOW HE'S PHYSICIAN-EXECUTIVE OF BANNER'S ADVANCED HEART FAILURE PROGRAM.

DOCTOR, GOOD SEE YOU A AGAIN.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

TED: MORE ARTIFICIAL HEART PROCEDURES IN 2022 THAN ANYONE WORLDWIDE.

DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU?

>> THAT IS.

YOU KNOW?

PRIMARILY BECAUSE THE DEMAND FOR HUMAN HEARTS CONTINUES TO INCREASE BUT THE SUPPLY HAS BEEN VERY STABLE.

AND THEY ARE TRYING TO DIE, BASICALLY.

WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO TRY TO GET THEM.

TED: THAT IS WHAT I WAS KIND OF CURIOUS ABOUT.

I THINK PEOPLE HEAR ARTIFICIAL TRANSPLATE.

YOU HAVE A NEW HEART.

OFF YOU FO.

THIS IS A BRIDGE UNTIL GET THE DONOR HEART, CORRECT.

>> THAT THAT IS CORRECT.

WE ARE IN THE STATE OF THE TECHNOLOGY AT THIS TIME.

WE HOPE THAT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WOE WILL HAVE ARTIFICIAL HEART AND PERMANENT BASIS AND A LONG TERM BASIS.

RIGHT NOW, THE LONGEST PATIENT WHO SURVIVE IS ARTIFICIAL HEART IS NINE YEARS WITH THE SAME ONE.

>> YEAH.

WOW.

THAT IS FOOD.

THAT IS GOOD.

WE CAN MAKE BETTER.

YOU CAN TAKE PATIENCE EVEN LONGER.

HOW ARE PATIENCE CHOSEN TO BE TOTAL ARTIFICIAL IMPLANT RECIPIENTS?

>> SO THEY HAVE TO QUALIFY FOR A HEART PRANCE PLANT.

THEY HAVE TO MEET THE CRITERIA THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE ADEQUATE HEART TRANSPLANT CAN DATE.

THE DIFFERENCE IS THEY HAVE NO TIME TO WAIT FOR THAT HEART.

THE HUMAN HEART.

SO WE HAVE TO PUT THE ARTIFICIAL HEART AS A BRIDGE.

YES.

>> SO THESE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE END STAGE, THEY NEED SOMETHING, THEY NEED IT NOW.

>> CORRECT.

>> THEY DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO WAIT.

THE PROCEDURE ITSELF, HOW LONG DOES THE PROCEDURE GO ON?

WHAT KIND OF REQUIRE RY PROCESS IS INVOLVED?

>> USUALLY BLUSH IF IT IS FIRST TIME, FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN GO FROM OPENING THE CHEST, HAVING ARTIFICIAL HEART WORKING IN FOUR HOURS.

TED: WOW.

>> BUT THEN, USUALLY, WE HAVE TO LEAVE THE CHEST OPEN BECAUSE THEY ARE SO SICK, WE HAVE TO LEAVE IT OPEN FOR 24-48 HOURS AND THEN WE KEEP THEM FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME.

THEN WE BRING THEM BACK AND ACROSS THE CHEST.

>> WOW.

WOW.

BECAUSE NOWADAYS THE PATIENTS WE SEE ARE SO ILL.

THEY USUALLY HAVE OTHER ORGANS THAT ARE FAILING.

ESPECIALLY THE LIVER.

SO THEY ARE GOING TO TRY TO BLEED AFTER THE PROCEDURE.

>> INTERESTING?

THAT IS SO INTERESTING.

OK.

SOMEONE HAS ARTIFICIAL HEART AND WAITING FOR THE, AS A PRIG, WAITING FOR THE DONOR HEART.

IT IS NOT THERE, AND YOU THINK IT IS ARTIFICIAL HEART, CAN YOU GET ANOTHER ARTIFICIAL?

CAN YOU JUST STACK ARTIFICIAL HEARTS ON THE SAME PERSON?

>> POTENTIALLY.

WE THINK IT CAN BE DONE.

NOW THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF ARTIFICIAL HEARTS.

THERE IS THE ONE THAT IS ACTUALLY MANUFACTURED HERE IN ARIZONA.

THEN IS A NEW ONE, THE ARTIFICIAL HEART WHICH IS FDA TRIAL.

SO WE HAVE PATIENTS ON BOTH OF THEM, AND WE THINK, THAT SOME PATIENTS, EVENTUALLY MAY START WITH ONE, AND THEY END UP WITH ANOTHER ONE.

TED: RIGHT.

>> THEN THE TRANSPLANT.

>> STILL PRETTY TOUGH PROCEDURE GO THROUGH THE FIRST TIME.

YOU ARE STILL WAITING FOR THE HEART.

THE REAL HEART, I SHOULD SAY.

IT SOUNDS LIKE INNOVATION A PLENTY HERE DEVICES GETTING SMALLER AND 13458ER.

>> IT IS NOT THAT CONCERNING THAT IT IS GETTING SMALLER BECAUSE THE SIZE OF THE HUMAN HEART.

>> OK.

SO WE REMOVED THE HUMAN HEART.

BUT THE TECHNOLOGY HOW IT IS POWER IT IS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER.

>> INTERESTING.

AND SO, THAT MEANS, HAYS THAT WHAT RETAINING ABOUT?

>> AT THIS POINT, BATTERIES.

>> YEAH.

>> POST OPP, WHAT DOES THE PATIENT, OBVIOUSLY, OUT FOR AWHILE, GOING TO BRING BACK SLOWLY, YOU KNOW?

WHAT CAN THEY DO?

WHAT CAN'T THEY DO.

HOW IS SOMEONE WITH ARTIFICIAL HEART?

>> WELL, WE TRIED TO GET THEM TO DO PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.

>> THE ONLY THING THEY CANNOT DO IS NOW IS GO SWIMMING BECAUSE THEY HAVE CONNECTED TO A DRY, YOU DON'T WANT THAT INFECTED?

WOW.

>> ONE OF THE COMPANIES IS WORKING ON ANOTHER DEVICE THAT WOULD BE BLUNTABLE.

THE ENERGY WOULD BE TRANSMITTED WOULD BE POWER BY ENERGY TRANSMISSION ACROSS THE SKIN LIKE THE CELL PHONE.

YES.

>> THEN THERE WOULD BE NO LINE.

WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT, THAT WOULD COMPLETE WITH HEART TRANSPLANTATION.

RATHER THAN HAVING SOMEONE GET A HEART TRANSPLANT THEN WE'LL GET ARTIFICIAL HEART.

THEN IMAGINE THE NUMBER ARE PEOPLE WE ARE ABLE TO HEART BECAUSE THE DEMAND IS SO HIGH RIGHT NOW.

WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP A LOT MORE PEOPLE, YEAH.

THE ARTIFICIAL HEARTS BECAUSE THOSE CORDS ARE LIMITED.

CORRECT.

THEY ARE LIMITED SO LIVES SAY THERE COULD BE A TIME WHEN THERE ARE NO CORDSMEN YOU COULD GO ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.

>> YES.

>> THE RISK FOR INFECTION, WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS INVOLVED HERE.

SO INFECTION IS, AND THE MAIN ISSUES THAT DRY THAT COMES OUT OF THE BODY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE AND THAT CAN GET INFECTED, NO MATTER ARTIFICIAL HEART OR A DEVICE, IF WE CAN ELIMINATE THAT COMES OUT, WE WILL REALLY BE IMPROVING THE WALL TY OF LIFE OF MANY PATIENTS, MANY MORE THAT WITH HEART TRANSPLATE PLANTS.

>> YOU ARE AND YOU MENTIONED THE BANNER IN.

YOU HAVE DONE SO MANY HERE.

MORE WORLDWIDE THAN ANY OTHER CENTER.

WAS THIS A GOAL?

WAS IT A MISSION?

HOW IT DID GET STARTED?

WHY DID YOU JUMP TO THE FOREFRONT?

>> LE WITH, IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE PLAN FOR IT.

BECAUSE WHEN WE CAME HERE TO START THE PROGRAM, WE NEVER THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE SO MANY ARTIFICIAL HEARTS BUT THE HEART TRANSPLANT PROGRAM GROWS AND DEMAND INCREASES AND NOW YOU HAVE MORE PATIENTS AND MORE VERY ILL PATIENTS THAT NEED SOMETHING.

TED: YEAH.

>> THAT IS WHERE THE ARTIFICIAL HEART COMES IN.

TED: LAST QUESTION, MOST OF THE PATIENTS FROM ARIZONA OR AROUND THE COUNTRY, AROUND THE WORLD?

>> WELL, RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE FROM ARIZONA.

THERE IS ONE PATIENT THAT WAS SENT TO US FROM DENVER, COLORADO, AND WE EXPECT THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW BUT THIS PROCEDURE, I HAVE DONE IT IN MANY CENTERS IN THE U.S., IN EUROPE, AND IN ASIA.

>> YEAH.

>> SO WE AND THE TEAM, THE TEAM THAT DOES THIS.

>> CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE SUCCESS.

INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS AS FAR AS TECHNOLOGY, INFOVATION.

DR.

FRANCISCO, HEART FAILURE PROGRAM, GOOD YOU HAVE.

CONGRATULATION.

>> THANKS SO MUCH.

GLAD TO BE HERE.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ TED: THE READY-TECH-GO INITIATIVE IS A STATEWIDE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND SIX COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICTS DESIGNED TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR CAREERS IN MANUFACTURING.

THE GOAL IS TO EQUIP LEARNERS WITH SKILLS TO QUICKLY ENTER THE WORKFORCE WHILE SUPPORTING LONG-TERM CAREER ADVANCEMENT.

JOINING US NOW IS MARY FOOTE DIRECTOR OF THE ARIZONA OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

GOOD YOU HAVE HERE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

TED: READY TECH GO.

THIS ALREADY EXISTED, CORRECT?

>> YES, IT HAS BEEN IN OPERATION FOR SELF YEARS.

TED: YES, NOW THERE IS EXPANSION.

TALK TO US ABOUT THIS.

>> WE RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE SOUTHWEST BORDER REGIONAL COME NATION ALLOWED US TO EXPAND THE READY TECH GO PROGRAM FROM COLLEGES THAT CURRENTLY IN THE MARICOPA SYSTEM, CENTRAL ARIZONA AND NOW WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND TO RURAL AREAS THAT HAVE NEEDS FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING IN COOPERATION.

>> WHEN YOU SAY ADVANCED MANUFACTURERRING SHALL WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> IT IS SO MANY THINGS NOW.

IT CAN BE PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMPANIES LIKE FREEPORT, MINING, OBVIOUSLY ALL OF THE SEMICONDUCTOR PLANTS THAT ARE COMING TO THE STATE, ROBOTICS, SO IT IS A WHOLE LOT OF DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES THAT ARE AFFECTED.

>> YEAH.

WE ARE LOOKING NOW.

THIS DOES NOT LOOK LIKE PEOPLE ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE.

THIS IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME.

ISN'T IT?

>> YES, IT IS.

IT IS REALLY FUN FOR STUDENTS, AND YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, BUT ALSO, IT IS GREAT FOR CAREER CHANGES.

WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA THAT IS TELLING US, MORE THAN 200,000 JOBS IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING BY 2030 SO IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEBODY LOOKING FOR A SECTOR THAT HAS GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES INSOME OF THE SOUNDS LIKE SHORT TERM TRAINING IS INCLUDED IN THE INITIATIVE AS WELL, TRUE?

>> YES.

SO STUDENTS CAN GET CERTIFICATION AND AS LITTLE AS TWO WEEKS SO THEY FRONT LOAD THE THE CURRICULUM SO PEOPLE CAN GET A CERTIFICATION RIGHT AWAY, THEN BEGIN WORKING AND THEY CAN CONTINUE ON.

IF THEY CHOOSE AND THEY CAN MEET ALL THE WAY TO ASSOCIATES DEGREE AND APPLIED SILENCE, THERE ARE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES THEN YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO LEARN WHILE YOU LEARN.

>> YEAH.

STACKABLE CREDENTIALIALS INVOLVED HERE RIGHT.

>> EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS INTO SO IT MEANS THAT WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT A CREDENTIAL, IT IMMEDIATELY GIVES YOU THIS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO ANOTHER CREDENTIAL, SO YOU ARE SHOWING THAT YOU HAVE A BASELINE LEVEL OF SKILLS THAT CAN PREPARE YOU FOR THE NEXT STEP IN YOUR EDUCATION AND TRAINING JOURNEY.

TED: I NOTICE SOMETHING CALLED THE TRAINING PROGRAM.

IS THAT ESSENTIALLY, IS THAT BASICALLY WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE YEAH.

SO READY TECH GO SUPPORTS THE AUTOMATED INDUSTRIAL TRAINING PROGRAM.

PART OF THE IDEA IS TO PROVIDE CONSISTENCY AND THE CURRICULUM ACROSS ALL SIX COLLEGES SO IF I AM EMPLOYER AND HIRING SOMEBODY WITH A CREDENTIAL FROM THE AIT PROGRAM, I KNEW WHAT I AM GETTING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE THE SKILLS THEY NEED DAY ONE TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE.

>> THAT IS INTERESTING.

THERE IS A LOT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES, A LOT OF UNIVERSITIES, EVERYBODY CAN BE TEACHING THEIR OWN THING.

HEY, YOU ARE GIVING ME THE REST OF THE ALPHABET.

WE HAVE WORKED COSILY WITH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES ON THIS CURRICULUM.

THEY ARE DONE DONE A GREAT JOB, WOG IT AND A GREAT JOB WORKING DIRECTLY COMPANIES LIKE RAYTHEON, FREEPORT TO DEVELOP THE FEEDBACK BETWEEN THE CORPORATION AND THE EDUCATION INSTITUTION.

>> JA ARE YOU HEARING FROM THEM AND THE OTHER CORPORATIONS?

WE ARE HEARING THEY NEED EMPLOYEES, FLIGHT SO REALLY PART OF OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MEETING THE FORECASTED NEEDS, AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, SO WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A DEMAND AND SO WHAT WE CAN WE DO TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND POWER COLLEGES TO GET THE CURRICULUM AND THE PEOPLE EDUCATED TO MEET THAT DEMAND.

>> DEMAND ANY KIND OF A ROUND FIGURE HERE, BALLPARK NUMBER, HOW MANY JOBS OPEN AND AVAILABLE HERE.

OPEN.

I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE THAT NUMBER.

THERE ARE 160,000 JOBS IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING IN THE STATE.

>> WOW.

IF WE ARE LOOKING AT THE 2030 HAVING 200,000.

THERE IS GREAT DEMAND.

WE NEED TODD DO EVERYTHING WE CAN.

IN ADDITIONS TO THIS PROGRAM.

CERTAINLY CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION INSTITUTION AND ALL HANDS ON DECK.

>> AND AGAIN, THE EMPHASIS IS ON COMMUNITY COLINS HERE.

IT IS NICE TO SEE.

SOMETIMES THEY GET LOST IN THE MIX AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY OUT THERE.

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, COMMUNITY COLLEGES ARE FANTASTIC ENTRY POINT INTO EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND IT REALLY HELPS PEOPLE KIND OF GET EARLY ON TRAY INTO THE FIELD AND INTO A SECTOR, AND BEING ABLE TO GET A CERTIFICATION IN AS LITTLE AS TWO WEEKS HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND, IS THIS THE RIGHT CAREER PATH FOR ME.

AM I ABLE TO PIVOT, DO IT IN A WAY THAT IS AFFORDABLE.

YEAH.

YEAH.

AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER.

RURAL AREAS ESPECIALLY.

COMMUNITY COLUMNS IS A BIG DEAL.

>> YEAH.

A VERY BIG DEAL.

THEY HAVE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING INSTITUTIONS COMPANIES AS WELL, THAT NEED THESE TYPE OF WOKERS.

AS I MENTIONED MINING.

MINING WE ARE ONE OF THE TOP STATES FOR MINING ANNUAL RESOURCES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE ARE SEEING DEMAND IN THAT TRY, BUT THE WORLD HAS LOTS OF TUPS THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE FOR A LOT OF THESE COMPANIES AS WELL, THEN HAVING THE ABILITY AND TALENTED WORKFORCE FOR THESE COMPANIES IS GOING TO HELP US BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE.

>> I WAS GOING TO BECOME.

HAVING THIS INITIATIVE JUST THERE, JUST EXISTING AND NOW EXPANSION HERE, IT IS OPEN TRACK SO THEY ARE A HUGE MAGNET, BUT I MEAN, YOU NEED ALL THE HELP YOU CAN GET.

>> YEAH.

THE MORE YOU GET BIG COMPANIES, THE MORE YOU HAVE SUPPLY CHAIN COMPANIES LOOKING AT YOUR STATE, AND SO, WE WANT TO SHOW COMPANIES THAT WE HAVE THE AVAILABLE TALENT NOW, BUT WE ARE NEATING THEIR NEED FOR FUTURE GROWTH, THIS IS NOT A GREAT PLACE TO LAND YOUR BUSINESS, BUT A GREAT PLACE TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS.

WE WANT TO BE PROBED FOR THE WORKFORCE NEEDED.

>> LAST QUESTION.

THAT IS MESSAGE GETTING ACROSS?

>> YEAH, I THINK SO.

WE ARE SEEING COMPANIES MUCH MORE SOPHISTICATED IN THE QUESTIONS THIS RE ASKING ABOUT WORKFORCE AND THE STATE BECOME MORE SOPHISTICATED IN PROVIDING THE RESPONSES NEEDED.

TED: ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS READY TECH GO INITIATIVE THAT IS RECENTLY EXPANDED AND DRIVE BY THAT TSMC LIKE A DIFFERENT WORLD.

HOW MANY DO THEY HAVE?

>> YEAH.

IT IS A LOT.

THERE R THEY ARE DOING A LOT THERE.

WE ARE PREPARED TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.

TED: ALL RIGHT.

VERY GOOD.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> EN THAT'S SOP.

>> THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I AM TED SIMONS.

THANKS SOP FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.