The Arizona Commerce Authority and three Arizona community college systems signed a charter on Thursday to combine forces to help bridge the gap between education and vocational careers.

The new program is the first of its kind in Arizona, and the shared curriculum will educate and train students for advanced manufacturing careers in the state.

To find out more about this new project, Sandra Watson joins us. She’s the president of the Arizona Commerce Authority, and she tells us how this partnership came about.

EDITOR'S NOTE: KJZZ is licensed to Rio Salado College, one of the Maricopa County Community College District schools.