Yavapai College Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I-B Director Dawnette Polland oversees workforce development programs that serve adults, dislocated workers, and youth throughout Yavapai County, supporting them in gaining the skills, credentials, and support needed to secure meaningful employment.
This includes not only education and training, but also hands-on workforce readiness support such as résumé development, interview preparation, and professional presentation, everything from how individuals show up to how they succeed and sustain employment.
“By focusing on the workforce needs of Yavapai County, this work creates a strong service return for Yavapai College through deeper community partnerships, stronger enrollment pipelines, and training aligned with local labor market needs,” Polland said. “In turn, these services are also available to eligible Yavapai College students, helping them prepare for employment while completing their education.”
Polland, who holds a Master of Business Administration, earned two associate degrees at Yavapai College—an Associate of Arts and an Associate of General Studies. Her professional background spans program development, workforce education, compliance-driven leadership, and strategic operations. She also has more than 10 years of experience in litigation-focused legal work, including more than five years as a litigation paralegal, which strengthened my attention to detail, regulatory interpretation, and risk management skills.
“My work has consistently focused on building sustainable programs that serve both individuals and institutions—particularly those that bridge education, employment, and economic mobility,” Polland said. “As I transitioned from the legal field, I found myself thinking about where I wanted to work next. Yavapai College already felt familiar. Its focus on community, workforce partnerships, adult education, and helping students succeed and be able to make a living really lined up with my background and the kind of work I wanted to be doing.”
Polland started working with Yavapai College while she was still in the legal field, teaching paralegal courses in partnership with a practicing attorney in Yavapai County. In 2019, after earning her Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification, Polland returned to the college in an instructional role as an English as a Second Language instructor through the Adult Basic Education program.
She later advanced into a supervisory position overseeing the Integrated Education and Training (IET) Program, also within Adult Basic Education, before moving into her current leadership role.
The importance of Polland’s work for Yavapai College is that it keeps the college closely connected to the community it serves. By responding to workforce needs across Yavapai County, the college stays relevant, trusted, and engaged in the region in a very practical way.
It helps ensure that what Yavapai College offers aligns with real employment needs, while also creating pathways for eligible students to connect their education to work.
“At the end of the day, it supports the college’s mission by making education more accessible and meaningful for people who are trying to build stability for themselves and their families,” Polland said.
“Yavapai College has made workforce development a clear priority, with a growing focus on programs that connect education directly to employment across Yavapai County,” Polland said. “Under Vice President Workforce Development, Health Sciences and Public Services Dr. Marylou Mercado’s leadership, the college continues to expand workforce-focused offerings and actively engage in partnerships that support high-demand fields such as skilled trades, manufacturing, healthcare, and first-responder training—including Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), fire science, nursing, and the Northern Arizona Regional Training Academy (NARTA).”
Polland noted that her biggest challenge has been coordinating complex systems while supporting the implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I-B workforce program through the American Job Center at Yavapai College, which serves adults, dislocated workers, and youth across Yavapai County under strict regulatory requirements.
This has required building shared understanding across many groups involved in the process, including college leadership at the associate vice president, vice president, and presidential levels, as well as accounting, advising, registration, facilities, and other departments across the college.
“The biggest success has been how quickly that collaboration has taken shape,” Polland said. “As processes have been established, college leadership and colleagues across the institution have engaged, adapted, and contributed their expertise. That collective effort has positioned the WIOA Title I-B workforce program to produce measurable outcomes and support future growth.”
“Dawnette brings an exceptional blend of heart, expertise, and integrity to her work,” Dr. Mercado said. “Her leadership in our WIOA Title I‑B programs has strengthened Yavapai College’s connection to the community and created real pathways to opportunity for the people we serve. She approaches complex systems with clarity and compassion, with leadership that helps her team reach their goals for students and communities. We are truly fortunate to have Dawnette guiding this important work, and I’m grateful for the impact she makes every day.”
Polland said that having experience in workforce development and workforce education opens doors to roles across education, government, nonprofit organizations, and community or economic development. People who work in workforce development roles—such as career navigators, workforce program managers, educators, employer engagement specialists, and policy or program administrators—are often drawn to the field because it combines problem-solving with service and has a direct impact on individuals and communities.
“Since the pandemic, Yavapai College President Dr. Lisa Rhine has led a broader restructuring of the college’s approach to workforce training, strengthening alignment with regional needs and ensuring the college can respond effectively to workforce shortages and labor-market shifts,” Polland said.
“Within that framework, federally funded Title I-B services are delivered through the American Job Center in accordance with federal requirements, with a responsibility to serve all of Yavapai County. I’m proud to contribute to work that reflects that shared commitment to workforce readiness, compliance, and long-term regional impact.”
Yavapai College operates seven campuses and centers throughout Yavapai County and offers more than 100 degrees and certificates, four baccalaureate degrees, student and community services, and cultural events and activities. To learn more about Yavapai College, visit www.yc.edu.
