Case Study
Left Coast Engineering leverages Advancing San Diego to hire intern, strengthen talent pipeline
ServiceTalent Pipeline Development
ServiceMarketing/Visibility
Founded in 1999, Escondido-based Left Coast Engineering (LSE) is an electrical engineering consulting and manufacturing company working with some of the most innovative commercial and military organizations to bring ideas of the future into the present.
COMPANY
CHALLENGE
LCE’s established presence has often given the company an upper hand in connecting to incoming college graduates through word of mouth. However, like many companies during the pandemic, LCE faced challenges in accessing a diverse talent pool and building its incoming talent pipeline.
Here’s where EDC’s talent initiative Advancing San Diego (ASD) stepped in to help.
SOLUTION
After a competitive application process, LCE was one of eight local, small businesses selected to host paid engineering interns from top ASD-designated Verified Programs training programs, at no cost to the firm.
The grant-funded internship program provided a competitive hourly wage and stipend, as well as access to a vetted pool of emerging engineering talent. LCE had the opportunity to work with ASD’s staffing partner Manpower San Diego, which administered the interview process, administrative HR tasks, payroll, and more at no cost.
As part of the program, LCE was also featured in promotional content across EDC’s website, email, and social media channels for additional visibility to future engineering talent.
RESULT
ASD’s internship program has helped expand awareness of LCE to students at local education providers—specifically, those with interest in engineering design. This has broadened the talent pool that LCE is able to work with and expanded the opportunities for both the company and interns.
Most notably, the LCE team went on to formally hire their ASD intern on for a part-time position while the student finishes college.
Additionally, LCE was invited to participate in a Society of Women Engineers Job Fair at University of San Diego, made possible by its affiliation with the ASD program.
“EDC’s Advancing San Diego program is a valued partnership for us here at Left Coast Engineering, creating a win-win for both the students and local companies. By recruiting and managing a variety of candidates, the ASD program has taken the burden off the business to both recruit local talent and manage the process.”
-Anita Baranowski, Director of Business Development, Left Coast Engineering