An Evening Honoring Apprentices and Registered Apprenticeship Program Sponsors
On Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, hundreds of professionals from the apprenticeship community across Arizona gathered in Tucson for the 63rd Annual David G. Hollis Outstanding Apprenticeship Award Ceremony.
Forty-five apprentice graduates, including one 2025 Charles R. Huggins Community Service Award recipient, were introduced and honored throughout the evening, which celebrated the development of skilled workers and their outstanding commitment to their chosen field.
The honored guests were joined by their apprenticeship program sponsors, each registered through the Department of Economic Security (DES), Arizona Apprenticeship Office. Registered apprenticeship programs are critical to meeting the evolving demands of Arizona’s economy and addressing some of its pressing workforce challenges. Raytheon is one of three winners of the 2025 Exemplary Program Award. “Raytheon is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of these apprentices and recognizes that this program’s success would not have been possible without its strong partnership with Pima Community College and the Arizona State Apprenticeship Office,” said Raytheon Senior Manager of Program Digital Services, Dennis E. McMurray Jr. “Together, we are securing the future of technology and national security, one graduate at a time.“
Prestigious awards were distributed to the top apprentices of their class who have proven themselves through years of self–discipline, hard work, and learning. Registered apprenticeship programs can help employers build a skilled and sustainable workforce efficiently. In fact, employers with registered apprenticeship programs report a 91% improvement in their pipeline of skilled workers, according to the Office of Apprenticeship website.
Employers who have registered apprenticeship programs don’t have to worry as much about the recruiting and retention process, as organizations can invest heavily in their own high-performing employees and attract motivated prospects.
Arizona’s long-standing Outstanding Apprenticeship Awards Ceremony is renowned among other state apprenticeship agencies that have started staging their own in recent years. Hosts Western Apprenticeship Coordinators Association and the Arizona Apprenticeship Advisory Committee attribute the ceremony to David G. Hollis, who dedicated most of his adult life to apprenticeship and the Arizona labor movement. Each year since 2004, one apprentice has received the community service award named after the highly respected Charles R. Huggins, who served the apprenticeship community in countless ways.
Interested in sponsoring your own registered apprenticeship program? Visit the DES Apprenticeship Program webpage or view the How to Develop Your Workforce one-pager.