Tag: Advancing San Diego

Voice of San Diego: How to set your child up for socio-economic success

By Taylor Dunne,

Originally authored by Taylor Dunne in Voice of San Diego’s ‘A Parent’s Guide to San Diego Schools’

Every parent wants to see their child pursue a career that makes them happy, and it is a bonus when they can feel confident that that career will also set them up for financial success.

In San Diego, one of the most dynamic economies in the world, there is abundant opportunity for high-impact careers and upward mobility—sometimes you just need to see it to believe it.

In my role as the director of talent initiatives for San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC), I have devoted my career to improving the pathways from local education programs into high-wage, high-demand jobs across San Diego County. Here are some common questions I get asked about these efforts in our region.

Q: What is Career Technical Education?

According to the state of California’s Department of Education, Career Technical Education (CTE) is “a program of study that involves a multi-year sequence of courses that integrates core academic knowledge with technical and occupational knowledge to provide students with a pathway to post-secondary education and careers.” Here in San Diego County, the board of education’s first goal speaks to CTE as a priority, stating that the public education system should aim to “connect the educational experience to the world of work, to guarantee all students graduate prepared for college, career, and beyond.”

CTE courses can fall into one of 15 industry categories, identified by the California State Board of Education. The courses can be standalone, or part of a multi-year series. Some of them also count toward A-G requirements, which must be completed for admission into a California public university.

Q: When should I start thinking about career pathways for my child?

CTE opportunities at school are a great time for students to begin thinking about prospective career paths. K-12 schools across the region offer these courses, and some have gone the extra mile to really set students up for success.

For example, the Chula Vista Elementary School District offers Innovation Stations where students learn about careers in life sciences, health, technology, and more. A portion of this experience includes local tech giant Qualcomm, which brings to life what the students are learning in the classroom.

Helix High School offers a biotechnology pathway that stacks courses for grades nine through 12. Kearny High Education Complex runs four small, unique schools, each focused on a critical industry, embedding CTE in students’ learning throughout their four years. These kinds of curriculum, coupled with internships, school clubs, and other opportunities, can offer students the chance to begin exploring what careers are available to them in San Diego and how they might begin preparing for those careers today.

In fact, employers agree that experience indicating a proven interest, like school clubs, extracurricular activities, and elected courses like those available through CTE pathways, rise above other qualifications in roles like computing and engineering. Candidates with less formal training that can articulate how they have independently pursued opportunities are more appealing than those who are fully trained but disinterested.

On the other hand, these opportunities can also help young people weed out the careers they do not want during these formative years, before they invest time and money into further training.

Q: What are the jobs of tomorrow?

Looking ahead, future jobs are technical in nature, and they’re in industries like technology (especially with the rapid development of artificial intelligence), healthcare, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing. We also anticipate alternative energy will continue to climb that list. Increasingly, these jobs require some sort of post-secondary training.

Everything from trade schools to four-year degrees and beyond become critical for preparing students to take on those roles into the future. In fact, over 100,000 more jobs require a post-secondary degree today as compared to just eight years ago. Luckily, they are also some of the highest paying in our region. We see growth in jobs that pay salaries of upwards to $149,000 per year.

So, what does that mean for San Diego’s future talent and local companies?

It means that community college, trade school, and university classrooms need to be accessible to all San Diego students regardless of economic status or family history. This economic growth, combined with a declining population, means that companies cannot continue to rely on traditional recruitment patterns like sourcing from elite universities, and instead must consider additional channels.

Working age population vs. jobs over 10 years:

In fact, to keep pace with the economy, the San Diego region will need to double the number of people receiving a post-secondary education by 2030.

Q: What tools and resources are available?

EDC is excited to have been able to help bring a new distinction to this year’s version of Voice of San Diego’s A Parent’s Guide to San Diego Schools. You can look for the labor market score for schools offering Career and Technical Education programs. Additionally, parents can explore local learning opportunities in relevant fields at the San Diego STEM Ecosystem’s web directory, which includes a filter for cost-free options.

READ THE PARENT’S GUIDE

Finally, our organization offers resources that can help parents connect with the local economy and industry-vetted training programs:

  • Explore EDC’s Talent Dashboard where you can access more real-time local data, like what is shared above, to help with understanding the future of jobs in San Diego.
  • Check out Advancing San Diego’s Verified Programs. These are post-secondary training programs across the region that have been vetted by local companies for teaching the skills needed for the jobs of tomorrow while also reaching and serving a diverse student population. In receiving this status, Verified Programs open opportunities for students to access paid internships and other critical work-based learning experiences.
  • Learn more and get involved in EDC’s Talent Initiatives. Contact our team today:
Taylor Dunne
Taylor Dunne

Director, Talent Initiatives

This story was first published by Voice of San Diego. Sign up for VOSD’s newsletters here.

Healthy economy, healthy communities: Strengthening regional healthcare talent pipelines

By Bridgette Coleman,

On January 15, San Diego Regional EDC, in partnership with Bank of America, hosted a dynamic luncheon to explore the healthcare talent landscape in San Diego County. This event brought together a cross-section of 75+ healthcare industry leaders, educational institutions, nonprofits, and community advocates to spotlight the region’s healthcare workforce challenges and opportunities. Together, we launched a critical conversation about how collaboration and an industry-led approach can strengthen our regional healthcare talent pipelines.

Advancing San Diego: A look at the state of healthcare in the region

“I think everyone in this room can agree that a strong healthcare system is important for our region to thrive,” said Pamela Gabriel, senior vice president for Bank of America, San Diego.

San Diego’s healthcare sector is one of the fastest-growing industries, essential for a thriving economy. However, the gap between education and workforce needs presents a challenge. During the luncheon, Bridgette Coleman, program manager for Advancing San Diego at EDC, shared compelling data that underscored the urgency of addressing these issues:

  • Registered Nurses (RNs): More than 15,000 unique job postings were recorded between December 2023 and November 2024, in San Diego. Yet, fewer than 2,000 program completions were achieved annually, creating a severe supply-demand mismatch.
  • Demographics: The healthcare workforce demographics do not reflect the diversity of San Diego’s population, emphasizing the need for inclusive access to training and career pathways, especially into high-wage roles like RNs. Better diversity in lower-wage roles such as Medical Assistants (MAs) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) indicate that a focus on these feeder roles might be an impactful way to support the RN talent pipeline.
  • Clinical hours bottleneck: Limited opportunities for nursing students to complete clinical hours exacerbate the talent pipeline challenges, delaying the transition from education to employment.

Review the full Advancing San Diego Healthcare Employer Working Group slide deck for more information about the current state of healthcare in San Diego County.

Addressing the talent gap with strategic programs and partnerships

The luncheon featured a panel of leaders with successful initiatives to bridge the talent gap and fostering inclusive growth:

  • Cal State San Marcos highlighted its interdisciplinary mobile clinic, which provides healthcare services to underserved communities while envisioning its expansion as a potential clinical hour completion site for students.
  • Scripps Health showcased its innovative employee training and retention programs, which boast only a 3 percent vacancy in nursing positions, emphasizing commitment to collaborative regional leadership in addressing healthcare workforce challenges.
  • San Diego State University (SDSU)–Imperial Valley discussed its targeted nursing programs designed to increase access for Imperial Valley College students to access education and training at SDSU for nursing careers and identify new opportunities for clinical placements.
  • San Diego and Imperial Counties Community College Consortium focused on how its improving access through standardized processes, career pathway research, outreach to underrepresented groups, and expanding advanced nursing degree transfer programs.

These initiatives exemplify the power of partnerships in addressing workforce challenges and ensuring that all San Diegans have access to career opportunities in this vital industry.

Join us in building stronger talent pipelines

EDC’s Talent Pipeline Management (TPM)© framework is a critical tool in addressing these gaps. By fostering stronger collaboration between employers and educational institutions, we can create scalable, employer-driven solutions that meet the region’s healthcare needs.

The healthcare talent needs in San Diego demand a unified, proactive approach. EDC’s Advancing San Diego program invites industry partners to join our Employer Working Group in leveraging the TPM to address these challenges. This employer-led strategy provides real-time insights, enabling us to:

  • Evaluate pain points and opportunities directly from the employers’ perspectives.
  • Build tailored solutions that address immediate and long-term workforce needs, while measuring return on investment of these solutions.
  • Grow skilled talent in San Diego by connecting underserved populations to training and career pathways, aligning with the region’s Inclusive Growth framework.

By working together, we can ensure a robust healthcare workforce that meets the needs of our region while driving economic growth and community well-being.

Take action

Ready to get involved? We are looking for healthcare employers to join our mission to strengthen San Diego’s healthcare talent pipeline. Learn more and connect with us:

Plus, contact our team today:

Taylor Dunne
Taylor Dunne

Director, Talent Initiatives

EDC designates San Diego’s top computing, engineering, business programs

By San Diego Regional EDC,

To fill talent gaps, regional employers vet training curriculum aligned to industry needs

Together with more than 80 industry representatives, San Diego Regional EDC is proud to announce Advancing San Diego’s newest Verified Programs of 2024: 28 education programs from 15 different institutions that are best preparing students for jobs in computing, engineering, and business.

These programs earned a three-year verification status through a rigorous evaluation process led by Advancing San Diego, the flagship program of EDC’s Talent Initiatives, which serves to double the production of skilled workers in San Diego while prioritizing historically underrepresented populations in the innovation economy. 

San Diego and the nation are grappling with a critical talent supply and demand challenge. Since 2017, San Diego County has experienced a 1.3 percent decline in its working-age population even as jobs have increased by 3.1 percent, intensifying competition for skilled talent. Additionally, 83,000 more jobs now require a bachelor’s degree than in 2016, underscoring the growing demand for advanced training and education alongside skill-based hiring practices.  

At the same time, demographic shifts are reshaping the future workforce. More than 70 percent of San Diego’s K-12 students are people of color, a group that has historically faced systemic barriers to accessing high-wage, high-demand careers. These changes present an opportunity—and an imperative—to invest in training programs that equip local, diverse populations for the region’s most in-demand careers. By expanding access to quality post-secondary education and training, the region can build an inclusive talent pipeline that supports both economic growth and equity in San Diego’s innovation economy.  

“The numbers are clear; the region cannot fill its talent gaps unless we open doors for more San Diegans. Our Advancing San Diego work is part of the solution—connecting industry to vetted local education programs that they might not yet be recruiting from. This new roster, which includes universities, community colleges, adult schools, and more, offers employers a go-to for sourcing qualified and diverse talent, and arms training programs with the boots-on-the-ground intel needed to shape the curricula of the future,” said Taylor Dunne, Director of Talent Initiatives at San Diego Regional EDC.  

How programs are verified

Employers met with and vetted applicants’ curriculum at EDC’s ‘Reaching Tomorrow’s Talent’ event on November 13, which brought together more than 150 businesses, educational programs, and community organizations working to close talent gaps by aligning education with industry needs.  

Status as a Verified Program indicates five critical elements:

  • Alignment of educational curriculum with industry requisites of necessary hard skills (ex: coding)
  • Alignment of educational curriculum with industry requisites of necessary soft skills (ex: problem solving)
  • Continuous engagement with industry
  • Ability to reach and serve a diverse student population
  • Proven history of collaboration along the education continuum and with critical community organizations

By participating in the process, local training programs get an inside look at the most critical skill expectations for students coming out of their programs and begin to explore how those expectations will change as technology and artificial intelligence evolve.  

“Poway Adult School is excited be recognized as an Advancing San Diego Verified Program. We believe that further developing industry partnerships, encouraging reflection on learning objectives, and aligning with the needs of local industries will help set our students up for success as they enter the workforce,” said Kathleen Porter, Executive Director of Career Technical, Adult, and Alternative Education at Poway Unified School District. 

“By equipping students with the skills needed to thrive, we help them transition successfully into the workforce. EDC’s Talent Demand data is an invaluable tool that allows us to align our programs with the skills students need to launch new careers,” said Elizabeth O’Shea-West, Principal at Vista Adult School. 

The 28 programs verified in this round represent more than 79,500 students across San Diego and Imperial Counties, and join a roster of others across key industries including Healthcare, Business, and Life Sciences. Last done in 2020, 10 programs were re-verified while Advancing San Diego welcomed 18 newly verified programs. 

hire summer interns at no cost

With the new designation comes the opportunity for students to take advantage of paid work-based learning experiences. In conjunction with the Border Region Talent Pipeline K-16 Collaborative, companies in  San Diego and Imperial Counties  are invited to apply by February 28, 2025 to host funded computing, engineering, and/or business interns for the  summer of 2025, sourced exclusively from the Verified Programs roster. In 2024, 322 interns were placed at 104 local companies, up from 48 interns placed in 2023, and creating an invaluable bridge between education and industry in high-growth, high-wage fields. Learn more and complete the interest form here. 

“I was drawn to this internship program because of my commitment to social mobility and reducing socioeconomic gaps. Companies have a pivotal role in building a more equitable future, especially by empowering the next generation of talent. My favorite part about working with the Advancing San Diego interns at ChakraTech has been their contagious enthusiasm and unwavering dedication to the work,” said Ravi Chawla, founder and CEO of ChakraTech, a 2024 summer intern host. 

Learn more at advancingSD.org and explore Verified Programs for other industry clusters here.

Apply by February 28

Verified Programs of BUSINESS

  • California State University San Marcos
  • Cuyamaca College
  • MiraCosta College
  • National University
  • Palomar College
  • Poway Adult School
  • San Diego State university
  • San Diego Community College District – College of Continuing Education
  • UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies
  • UC San Diego Rady School of Management
  • Vista Adult School

Verified Programs of Computing & ENGINEERING

  • California Institute of Applied Technology
  • Cuyamaca College (Engineering)
  • National Foundation for Autism Research
  • National University
  • San Diego City College
  • San diego MiraMar College

Learn More About Advancing San Diego

Host summer interns at no cost

By Olivia Jones,

Funded summer internship program 2025

In conjunction with the Border Region Talent Pipeline K-16 Collaborative, companies in San Diego and Imperial Counties are invited to apply to host funded computing, engineering, and/or business interns for the summer of 2025.

Internship applicants will be sourced through Advancing San Diego’s Verified Programs, ensuring they are learning the industry’s most in-demand skills. Intern host companies will have the chance to interview and select candidates from a pre-screened pool of students. This is a great opportunity for companies to strengthen and diversify talent pipelines and fill shortages for critical jobs. Read how Rady’s Children’s Hospital leveraged an Advancing San Diego paid internship program to help solve their talent shortages. Applications due February 28, 2025.

Application

2025 TIMELINE

  • February 28: Intern host applications due
  • March 5: Intern hosts are selected
  • March 6—April 18:Work Site visit by Manpower, Employer of Record (EOR). Site visits for approved in-person and hybrid sites.
  • April 8, 8:30 a.m.: Company onboarding session*
  • April 21—May 9: Companies review and interview student applicants*
  • June 2—June 23: Students begin internships (flexible start date)

*Intern supervisors must be available these dates.

AVAILABLE TALENT
Below are sample positions, considering student ability based on Verified Program criteria. Companies will be asked to alter these job descriptions to fit their unique company needs.

COMPUTING INTERNSHIPS

ENGINEERING INTERNSHIPS

BUSINESS INTERNSHIPS

Questions? Contact EDC:

Olivia Jones
Olivia Jones

Coordinator, Talent Initiatives

Op-ed: Employers can bolster the local talent pipeline. Here’s how.

By Sidd Vivek, Mark Cafferty, and Dr. Sunita Cooke,

Op-ed originally published by the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Authored by Sidd Vivek, President and CEO at Junior Achievement of San Diego and Imperial Counties; Mark Cafferty, President and CEO at San Diego Regional EDC; and Dr. Sunita Cooke, President and Superintendent at MiraCosta College

The success of our regional economy hinges on more than the businesses that power it; it thrives when our community, education systems, and industry come together to create opportunities that benefit all San Diegans. Internships and career-connected learning are key to aligning local students with regional jobs and overcoming the talent shortages threatening our economic competitiveness.

Demand for workers in the innovation economy is set to double over the next few years, making it imperative to connect young people to career pathways and professional networks in San Diego’s leading industries. Talent from historically underserved communities remains heavily underrepresented in the local innovation economy; in fact, Black and Hispanic people comprise 50 percent of the region’s K-12 population but only 24 percent of innovation cluster workers. Supporting these youth in accessing high-growth, sustainable careers is key to addressing San Diego’s socioeconomic disparities and creating a talent surplus.

That’s why, together with key local partners, San Diego Regional EDC is focused on placing students in paid work-based experiences and/or internships across the region. In collaboration with the Border Region Talent Pipeline K-16 Collaborative, Imperial Valley EDC, Junior Achievement of San Diego and Imperial Counties, and the County of San Diego led by Chair Nora Vargas, 443 local youth were placed in paid summer internships and/or work-based learning experiences at more than 125 businesses across San Diego and Imperial Counties including Illumina, Deloitte, Booz Allen Hamilton and Cox Communications and many small businesses. Through local industry partners—and supplemented by philanthropy—students were paid more than $2.7 million in collective wages and employer support services, and many are already being hired on for full-time opportunities. This work goes beyond offering students a paycheck—transforming futures and driving long-term economic growth for San Diego.

When employers invest in career-connected learning experiences, they address both immediate staffing needs and strategically build a future workforce pipeline tailored to their skills demands. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, approximately 72 percent of US companies will offer their interns full-time positions, and 80 percent of employers cited their internship programs as the talent acquisition technique with the best return on investment.

It is not just businesses that benefit. Forbes reported that students who completed paid internships receive twice as many job offers and secure a higher first-year salary than students with no internship experience, even when controlling for industry and demographic data.

Work-based learning equips students with industry tools and professional skills while helping them identify career paths aligned with their strengths and build a network of support for the future. Young people’s creativity and diverse perspectives can spark fresh ideas that drive businesses forward. As more students transition from interns to full-time roles, they mentor the next generation, creating a self-sustaining growth cycle that fuels innovation and economic mobility across San Diego and Imperial Counties.

This complex work requires cross-sector collaboration, from K-12 school districts and nonprofits to community colleges, universities, and employers who need the talent to fill critical functions. For our region—we must keep our sights set on fostering innovation, connecting youth to in-demand, sustainable wage career pathways, and building a talent pool that reflects our people.

With students back in school for the fall, we invite our regional businesses to join us in this vital work. From participation in career panels to hosting work-based learning for high school students or post-secondary apprentices and interns, a commitment by San Diego’s companies will be the difference-maker for this region and our youth.

It is only with and through San Diego’s employers that we can meet our Inclusive Growth goals, and ensure our economy remains competitive, innovative, and resilient for years to come. The benefits are clear: stronger businesses empowered students, and a vibrant, accessible economy that works for everyone.

What’s next?

To learn more and get involved in EDC’s work, contact:

Bridgette Coleman
Bridgette Coleman

Manager, Talent Initiatives

San Diego’s demand for talent in business

By Bridgette Coleman,

This summer in partnership with the Border Region Talent Pipeline K-16 Collaborative, EDC’s Advancing San Diego program convened six leading San Diego employers that collectively employ more than 24,000 San Diegans to participate in an Employer Working Group (EWG) and provide a real-time picture of the region’s talent demand for entry-level business roles. Additionally, 120 businesses were surveyed to gain a regional snapshot of talent demand, find gaps in business related training, and identify in-demand entry-level positions for individuals training to enter the workforce. Leveraging strategies from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Talent Pipeline Management® framework, Advancing San Diego is excited to share the 2024 Business Talent Demand Report to serve as a snapshot of local demand for entry-level business professionals.

Business Talent Demand Report

This report serves as a tool for education partners to understand what skills and competencies students need for entry-level business positions in San Diego County. Based on employer feedback, the report focuses on in-demand external facing roles (Customer Service Representative and Advertising, Sales, and Marketing) and internal facing roles (Purchasing and Buying and Project Managers), and highlights the demand for Accounting, Auditing, and Bookkeeping positions which were identified as high priority by EWG participants.

Key findings

  • Twenty percent of businesses reported a high turnover in four out of eight listed in-demand occupations.
  • Lack of sufficient training or education was cited as the primary reason for hiring difficulties for entry-level business positions.
  • For non-entry level positions, lack of sufficient industry or work experience and inadequate training or education were the primary hiring challenges.
  • Employers predicted the highest job growth for purchasing and buying roles over the next 24 months, noting that 30 percent of these positions take more than six months to fill.
  • The most challenging positions to fill included supply chain and logistics positions, finance, and project manager roles, all of which reported high turnover rates.
  • Hispanic and Latino, as well as Black and African American individuals are underrepresented in entry-level business positions, indicating a need for investment in equitable access to strengthen the regional workforce.

Occupation demand

San Diego’s economy is powered by its diverse industries, from defense and technology to life sciences and manufacturing, supported by more than 71,000 business jobs. However, many employers struggle to find candidates with the necessary skills for entry-level roles, particularly as technical skills become increasingly crucial. With nearly 5,400 businesses competing for talent, the shortage of qualified candidates makes it challenging to fill positions.

Sixty-three percent of surveyed businesses noted that available talent does not have the relevant training or education, highlighting the need for better access to post-secondary education, work-based learning, and internships to strengthen talent pipelines and prepare students for success.

What’s next?

  • Save the date: Join EDC on November 13 at UC San Diego Park & Market for Advancing San Diego’s Verified Program event. More details to come.
  • Apply to be a Verified Program! Learn more about the process and benefits here. Verified Program applications close September 27.
  • Read other industries’ Talent Demand Reports here.

To learn more and get involved in EDC’s work, contact:

Bridgette Coleman
Bridgette Coleman

Manager, Talent Initiatives

Best practices for AI in higher education

By Olivia Jones,

takeaways from Advancing San Diego’s AI Best Practices event

In a regional economy where one in four local firms utilizes Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is essential that San Diego students be prepared with the skills necessary to maximize the use of AI. To address this need, Deloitte and San Diego Regional EDC convened nearly 50 faculty and administrators from Advancing San Diego’s Verified Programs to collaborate and workshop the future of AI implementation in higher education.

Six THINGS WE LEARNED:

  1. Personalize learning and content

    AI can revolutionize personalized learning by analyzing student performance data to identify areas where students need more support and adjust curriculum accordingly. Additionally, AI enables educators to quickly adjust to student needs by creating lecture materials, interactive learning modules, and more. This dual capability expands educators’ ability to create tailored content and saves time on resource creation, enhancing both the learning experience and instructional quality.

  1. Streamline administrative tasks

    AI tools can manage routine administrative tasks such as scheduling, grading, and responding to common student questions. This can reduce the administrative burden on educators, allowing them to concentrate more on teaching and mentoring, thereby improving overall efficiency.

  1. AI literacy and prompt engineering

    Understanding prompt engineering, the skill of constructing the right questions, can significantly enhance the utility of AI in educational settings. The way questions are framed can drastically impact AI responses and, if done properly, reduce the risk of “hallucinations,” AI-generated information that may be incorrect or outdated. This literacy ensures that these tools are used to their full potential, providing accurate and relevant information that supports learning objectives. It also effectively prepares students for jobs in San Diego’s innovation economy, which is already adopting AI at staggering rates .

  1. Emphasize higher-order thinking

    The integration of AI in education is shifting instructive approaches, emphasizing higher-order thinking skills outlined in Bloom’s Taxonomy. With AI handling lower-order tasks such as remembering and understanding information, educators can focus on fostering analysis, evaluation, and creation in students. This shift encourages deeper learning and critical thinking, preparing students for complex real-world challenges.

  1. Establish effective governance frameworks

    Integrating AI into education will require strong governance frameworks to address ethical concerns like bias and privacy, clear policies and guidelines for its use in assignments and assessments, and a regular process for evaluating and updating these frameworks to keep pace with the evolving AI landscape.

  1. Mitigate bias and protect privacy

    Addressing bias in AI training data is important for fair educational outcomes. Ensuring AI models are trained on diverse, representative datasets can improve accuracy and inclusiveness. Privacy concerns are also paramount; public AI tools can inadvertently use any input data for retraining, risking exposure of sensitive information. Enterprise-specific models, which do not learn off of private data, might offer a more secure solution for educational institutions.

To learn more and get involved in EDC’s work, contact:

Olivia Jones
Olivia Jones

Coordinator, Talent Initiatives

aPPLY TO BE A VERIFIED PROGRAM

sEE edc’S AI series

Create diverse talent pipelines with apprenticeships

By Olivia Jones,

EDC, Apprenti partner to grow local talent pipeline

This is a developing story; last update was made July 2024.

With a nationwide talent shortage, companies are challenged to maximize growth. In San Diego, this issue is exacerbated by a declining working-age population coupled with job growth, making it difficult to find qualified talent. To build a strong workforce in this climate, companies must explore alternative talent acquisition pathways.

Join San Diego Regional EDC and Apprenti to explore how registered apprenticeships can help employers create a pipeline of critical, diverse, emerging talent, and support our local workforce. Together with Apprenti, EDC invites companies with advanced manufacturing or information technology operations to hire registered apprentices. Apprentices will tentatively begin in Summer 2024, with training completed and full-time onboarding in Winter 2026.

THE PARTNERS

EDC recognizes talent as the cornerstone of economic growth and works to leverage employer engagement, work-based learning, and unique company solutions to broaden San Diego’s pool of diverse, qualified talent. In complement, Seattle-based non-profit Apprenti provides the resources to support employers in developing a strong apprenticeship pipeline. Through this partnership catalyzed during EDC’s Leadership Trip, the Apprenti program sources, assesses, trains, and places talent for participating companies. The program also manages the administrative process of registering through state and federal systems, including access to braided funding to support program investments.

WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE?

Companies that require a workforce with advanced manufacturing or information technology related technical skills but not a traditional degree. Roles include:

Advanced manufacturing

  • Optics manufacturing technician
  • Electromechanical technician
  • Precision machinist
  • Automation and controls technician
  • Instrumentation and controls technician
  • CNC operator and programmer

Information technology

  • Software developer/analyst
  • Cybersecurity analyst
  • CRM/CMS developer
  • IT support professional
  • IT business analyst
  • Systems administrator
  • Cloud operations specialist
  • Technical sales specialist
  • DevOps specialist
  • Web developer
  • UX designer
  • CRM administrator
  • Data analyst

WHY PARTICIPATE?

SAMPLE TIMELINE

  • Summer 2024: Apprentices begin training in the classroom half-time, and working on the job half-time.
  • Winter 2026: Apprentices complete classroom training, apprenticeship ends, and employers bring individuals on full-time.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT FEE

  • EDC investors: $3,000 per apprentice
  • Non-investors: $3,500 per apprentice

Fee covers services by Apprenti and EDC in sourcing talent, tests screening candidates, completing state and federal administrative requirements, providing ongoing apprenticeship programmatic support, and coordinating with training partners around funding and qualified curriculum. It does not include the cost of related technical instruction (which could be as low as $0) nor wages for the apprentice, which must be at least 60 percent of the employer first year wage paid to employees in this role at your company.

To learn more or join the cohort, contact:

Olivia Jones
Olivia Jones

Coordinator, Talent Initiatives

 

EDC designates region’s top computing and engineering programs

By Olivia Jones,

To fill talent gaps, regional employers vet training curriculum aligned to industry needs

Together with more than a dozen industry partners, EDC is proud to announce the newly designated Verified Programs. Celebrated by industry as best preparing students for jobs in computing and engineering roles these 30 education programs represent 16 different institutions across San Diego and Imperial Counties.

Programs were verified as part of a rigorous evaluation process led by Advancing San Diego, the flagship program of EDC’s Talent Initiatives, which serves to double the production of skilled workers in San Diego while prioritizing historically underrepresented populations in the innovation economy.

San Diego and the nation are facing a talent supply and demand challenge; as innovation clusters grow and non-STEM roles become more technical, increased access to training is critical for sustained economic progress. At the same time, we are seeing demographic changes that will completely change the workforce. More than 50 percent of San Diego’s seventh graders are people of color, a group that has been historically left out when accessing high-wage, high-demand careers. Additionally, across the U.S. nearly 25 percent of the workforce is at or nearing retirement age. To build the talent pipeline of the future, we must ensure San Diegans can reach their highest potential by improving access to quality training programs for job seekers and employers alike.

“Dating back to 2019, Advancing San Diego has formalized EDC’s work to connect industry to local post-secondary education programs—universities, community colleges, and non-traditional training providers—to help meet San Diego’s talent demands. This roster of Verified Programs offers employers a go-to for sourcing qualified talent across the region, helping fill in-demand jobs and supporting San Diego’s inclusive growth and competitiveness,” said Taylor Dunne, Director of Talent Initiatives at EDC.

How programs are verified

Employers vetted applicants at EDC’s ‘Reaching Tomorrow’s Talent’ event on November 15, which brought together more than 150 attendees from business, education, and community who are working to close talent gaps by aligning training with industry needs.

Status as a Verified Program indicates five critical elements of a program:

  • Alignment of educational curriculum with industry requisites of necessary hard skills (ex: coding)
  • Alignment of educational curriculum with industry requisites of necessary soft skills (ex: problem solving)
  • Continuous engagement with industry
  • Ability to reach and serve a diverse student population
  • Proven history of collaboration along the education continuum and with critical community organizations

By participating, local training programs got an inside look at critical skill expectations leading industries has for entry level talent, especially amid rapid technology advancement. The two-part verification process required training programs to share training modules or syllabi, proving a connection between learning outcomes and the expressed needs of industry. Each program also had to be prepared for in-person conversations with industry regarding DEI efforts, general collaboration, and more. The 30 programs verified in this round represent 31,000 students, and join a roster of 21 others across key industries including Healthcare, Business, and Life Sciences.

“Participation in the Advancing San Diego Verified Program process always proves beneficial for our programs, encouraging further reflection on learning objectives and the needs of local industry” said Dr. Lynn Neault, Chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca College District and EDC board member. “From engineering to nursing to skilled trades, we know how important it is that our district’s colleges are offering training to build a strong talent pipeline for our community. We’re honored to have been recognized as part of the region’s Verified Programs.”

hire summer interns at no cost

With the new designation comes the opportunity for students of publicly-funded programs to take advantage of paid work-based learning experiences. In conjunction with Border Region Talent Pipeline K-16 Collaborative, companies in San Diego and Imperial Counties are invited to apply to host funded computing, engineering, and/or business interns for Summer 2024, sourced exclusively from the Verified Programs roster.

Apply by March 7

“Left Coast Engineering has hired bright local students from funded internship programs like this for three summers and we are always pleased with their preparedness and professionalism,” said Anita Baranowski, CEO of Left Coast Engineering. “As a small engineering design business, we are grateful for the opportunity to expand our headcount and support work for and training of local students as part of Advancing San Diego, all without adding to our payroll.”

Verified Programs of Computing

Verified Programs of Engineering

Learn More About Advancing San Diego

Seattle Leadership Trip: An exercise in authenticity

By Lisette Islas,

Authored by Lisette Islas, Executive VP and Chief Impact Officer at MAAC, and EDC Vice Chair of Inclusive Growth

“Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.”

Most every year, EDC hosts a Leadership Trip to a strategic metro. Guided by our Inclusive Growth strategy, the trips help expose dozens of San Diego’s private sector, nonprofit, academic, and government leaders to other regions engaged in similar work. After all, it sometimes takes stepping outside of our region to get the best look at who we are and who we want to be. This year: Seattle, Washington.

With more than 30 of San Diego’s most committed leaders in tow, we arrived in Seattle this July ready to learn about what makes the Pacific Northwest region so successful and what challenges have stymied it most. EDC’s President and CEO Mark Cafferty kicked off the three-day trip with the above Friday Night Lights quote to help frame the goals of the trip, plus the mindset needed to act once back home.

Clear eyes

Seattle is a true peer metro to San Diego, home to a globally competitive innovation cluster with audacious goals for its growth. While Seattle’s cost of living is lower than San Diego’s, it is the fastest-growing city in the country and rising home prices have led to gentrification and displacement. The state of Washington needs another Seattle’s-worth of housing units to address its housing supply shortage. The clarity of their direction and of their challenges comes from an impeccable degree of detail and data, both on their goals and on where they are falling short in meeting them. For example:

  • Jobs: Eighty of Seattle’s CEOs made commitments to increase supplier diversity, yet only 0.1 percent of procurement can be tracked back to Black-owned businesses. (There was no mention of metrics on Latino-owned businesses.) These companies don’t always have consistent vendor data tracking—and you can’t improve what you can’t measure.
  • Talent: Nationwide, more than 375,000 tech jobs remain unfilled. Given that each year as a country we graduate 75,000 computer science degrees and distribute 65,000 H1B visas in tech, that still leaves 235,000 jobs that must be filled in other ways. As home to some of the largest tech companies in the world including Amazon and Microsoft, Seattle has recognized the imperative for sourcing talent in new ways. Notably, through tech apprenticeship model Apprenti, companies can recruit people from non-tech backgrounds using an anonymized, skills-based application process to remove all the bias you don’t want and focus on all the talent you do. Eighty-six percent of these apprenticeships convert into full-time jobs after one year.
  • Households: Through Challenge Seattle and their partners at Boston Consulting Group, the region has identified the root of a housing shortage challenge that looks very familiar to San Diego’s. Challenge Seattle identified the housing size, price, and place needed to make a dent in the lack of supply facing the region. Additionally, the group put out 15 long-term and four short-term recommendations for policy change ranging from zoning reform to below-market financing, and more.

Full hearts

One inspiring moment was when our group heard from Alesha Washington, CEO of the Seattle Foundation, on the region’s continued struggles, which she says are often masked by its rapid growth and prominent tech companies. The region is majority white, and the economic hardships are most felt by people of color. Simply calling past policies what they were—racist—provides a sense of freedom to manage them directly and without ambiguity.

Another point of encouragement came in the context that while the Seattle metro accounts for more than half of the state’s population, it cannot succeed alone. Many of the challenges it faces are felt across the rest of Washington, so statewide cooperation is needed to solve them. Framing Seattle’s housing crisis as urgent to the state’s overall economic prosperity is one way Challenge Seattle has done just that.

Can’t lose

Perhaps the most galvanizing moment was during our closing session as the group took stock of all they had heard, shared what stood out the most, and reflected on our region’s own inclusive growth journey. What resonated most was the sense that, like our peer, San Diego has come a long way. When the economic case for inclusion was first developed in 2017, the road seemed long and the goals unreachable. However, despite the setbacks brought on by the pandemic, progress is being made – with EDC’s latest progress report launching next month. With an inclusive economic development agenda acting as a compass, many local organizations have shifted their focus or direction—and even small changes can have big impacts. As Halé Richardson of HomeFed Corporation put it, “Fueled by this ongoing dialogue, we’re now prioritizing childcare centers over swimming pools.”

For decades, the inclusion challenge was left only to the social services and philanthropic community to solve. Now, the business case has been made and it is clear inclusive growth is imperative to the region’s competitiveness. Without it, industry too will cease to thrive.

Economic development is an exercise in authenticity.

In San Diego, we know our data story well too. The challenges facing our region require all of us to adapt in order to create more quality jobs, skilled talent, and thriving households. If we are to remain competitive and attractive to both businesses and talent, we must embrace the challenges head-on, with each sector—public, private, non-profit—doing its part to promote a more inclusive San Diego. In the months ahead, EDC will convene select groups to make that clear and build on this momentum.

I remain committed to exploring different avenues for how we broaden and deepen our work across our three goals—through my role at EDC, my work at MAAC, and my engagement with our region at large—as a member of the community that cares deeply about San Diego’s future.

We may not reach all our stated goals by 2030, but the mere fact that we are striving toward them guarantees that we will be better off than than we are today.

Learn more about EDC’s Inclusive Growth work

See the San Diego-Seattle regional comparison

See past leadership trip recaps