San Bernardino County’s labor pool moves into elite territory as population, opportunities continue to grow |
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Only six of California’s 58 counties can boast a labor pool of more than 1 million – and San Bernardino County is one of them, having eclipsed that mark four months in a row.
According to the latest data from the California Employment Development Department (EDD), the county’s labor force reached a record 1,018,000 in February, and is now 30,000 ahead of where it was a year earlier.
The size of our labor force, along with the relative youth of our population base, provides San Bernardino County yet another competitive advantage for businesses looking to expand or relocate here.
It also reinforces how the County and the Inland Empire have become the fastest-growing population center in Southern California – and one of the fastest in the U.S. New Census data shows the IE gaining 47,601 people during the 12 months ending July 31, 2021 – the fifth fastest growth rate in the country. By contrast, Los Angeles and Orange Counties lost a combined 175,000 residents during the same period.
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WDB is ensuring that we’ve got the labor force to meet the needs of businesses |
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Phil Cothran, Chair
San Bernardino County WDB
I recently had the opportunity to pen an op-ed piece in the Redlands Community News regarding the strength of our job market here in San Bernardino County. It’s a message I’m thrilled to deliver – as often as possible, and as emphatically as possible.
At the same time, we know that finding the right people goes beyond simply the size of our labor pool. Quality matters, and at WDB, we are committed to ensuring that growing businesses are able to secure the talent they need.
Through partnerships and programs such as On-The-Job Training, our team of workforce and business services professionals is helping individuals expand their skill sets while providing employers with access to well-trained and highly qualified workers.
If you haven't checked us out, please do. Our website provides a wealth of information on the services and resources WDB provides.
Thank you, as always, for the opportunity to serve this extraordinary business and employment hub.
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Education Secretary talks career pathways in visit to InTech Center |
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WDB is a proud supporter and partner of the Chaffey College InTech Center, which again found itself in the national spotlight when U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Congresswoman Norma Torres and California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond toured the Fontana facility on Tuesday, March 29th.
“This is community development at its best,” Cardona said of InTech, which has been heralded as a national model for public/private collaboration in preparing our workforce for skilled trades.
Superintendent Thurmond emphasized the importance of students earning while they learn because that, in itself, can be the opportunity they need to enroll in programs like the ones offered at InTech.
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I got my first job when I was 17, as a Customer Service Representative at Helman’s Sporting Goods in Colton. It was an honor to work for the Helman Family. Working for them helped me understand how small businesses play a vital role and have a critical connection to the community. I was able to see how residents supported the business, which showed me the importance of customer service and building relationships. I learned valuable lessons at that job – the value of working hard and commitment to the community – that I apply to my life today. |
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Transforming Lives through Career Exploration |
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‘I can see myself doing, maybe, five different things’
A partnership between WDB and Career Institute is providing Christine Cox something she has always yearned for – a chance to prove herself. After an unsettled childhood, Cox entered adulthood with plenty of distractions and little direction.
Today, she is attending community college and building a diverse set of skills that she and her career mentor are confident will open the door to new opportunities for the rest of her life.
“I can see myself doing, maybe, five different things. I’m excited about that, and know that it ultimately falls on me,” says Cox, now 20. Her inspiring academic and career exploration began after she heard about Career Institute, which helps young people make the transition to adulthood through the framework of the federally funded Work Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and under the direction of WDB.
The program helped Cox, who lives in Fontana, get into community college, navigate financial aid and helped secure work experience with an animal rescue operation. The latter is a career path she is interested in pursuing – possibly as a veterinary technician. But through college, she has uncovered an interest in – and aptitude for – the arts.
“Christine loves everything she is doing right now. We encourage that, while also keeping a main goal ahead of you,” says Caryn Payzant, Cox’s career mentor at Career Institute.
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WDB hosts free virtual seminars throughout the week to help job seekers on topics such as interviewing skills, resume building and navigating the employment resources available during the pandemic. If you know of anyone who could use this valuable assistance, a calendar of upcoming sessions is available here.
In the meantime, here are some upcoming events and release dates.
Friday, April 15: California EDD releases its March jobs report.
Wednesday, April 20: WDB Committee meetings
Friday, May 6: Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its April U.S. jobs report.
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For archived videos of our free Business Services webinars, such as this one on recruiting in a post-COVID world, click here.
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Click here to catch up on past editions of Workforce Update, WDB’s monthly e-newsletter and labor market intelligence report.
If you know others who would like to receive this timely and important information, please invite them to join our mailing list at info.workforce@wdd.sbcounty.gov.
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