Led by the logistics sector, SB County and the IE are poised for continued economic growth as new year approaches |
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A new economic analysis by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) projects a strong 2022 for San Bernardino County and the Inland Empire, led by continued growth in the logistics sector. A surge in e-commerce and goods movement since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic has put the IE in a stronger competitive position than ever due to the strength of its supply chain network, the report shows.
The logistics sector added 21,100 jobs in the IE during 2020 and is on track for another 26,800 in 2021. The latter represents nearly 40% of the 69,000 total jobs added in the two-county region this past year.
Meanwhile, the hard-hit hospitality sector is beginning a steady recovery after pandemic-related closures created “significant short-term pressures” during 2020 and into the first few months of 2021.
Overall, the SCAG forecast offers a promising, but cautious post-COVID forecast for Southern California, noting that the strength, resilience and diversity of the regional economy helped avoid what could have been a far more serious recession.
The analysis was released during SCAG’s Southern California Economic Summit on December 2.
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Latest Labor Market Intelligence Report |
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Hiring surge drops County’s unemployment rate to 18-month low of 6.3% |
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Employers in San Bernardino County added another 10,100 workers in October, bringing total job growth over the past two months to nearly 23,000. The October report from the state Employment Development Department is another indication of a post-pandemic hiring surge, with the unemployment rate (6.3%) dropping to its lowest level since February 2020.
Although county-specific numbers are not yet available by sector, for the Inland Empire as a whole, government (up 8,000 jobs) and logistics (up 7,400) led the way in October. Leisure and hospitality added 3,700 jobs in the two-county region.
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Ringing in the new year with jobs, jobs
and more jobs
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Phil Cothran, Chair
San Bernardino County WDB
As we close out 2021, we do so with a sense of optimism for what lies ahead as the local labor market continues to heat up. Employers in San Bernardino County have now restored or filled nearly 90% of the jobs lost during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic – a pretty amazing number when you consider the six to seven years it took to reach that same level after the Great Recession. Challenges remain as we push back toward pre-pandemic levels, but every indication is that we will get there sometime during the first half of 2022.
At WDB, our Business Services team is eager to work with employers who have needs to fill. We believe every job is essential, regardless of the training or education level required to do the work, and offer a variety of programs and resources to match companies with the employees they’re seeking. For more on these services, please click here.
In the meantime, have a wonderful holiday season and may the new year bring you great joy, health and prosperity.
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Introducing our new East Valley Job Center |
New facility provides greater access for job seekers and businesses |
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WDB is proud to unveil its new East Valley America's Job Center of California (AJCC), located at the Inland Center Mall in San Bernardino. The conveniently located 24,000-square-foot facility, at 508 Inland Center Drive, provides approximately 50% more space than the previous AJCC location, including six training/classroom spaces and a large resource room with enhanced technology for job seekers. In addition, WDB will be able to host two job fairs each year inside the mall. An open house is scheduled for Friday, December 17, from 10-11 a.m.
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San Bernardino County and the Inland Empire have fortified their standing among the nation’s fastest-growing population centers amid a surge of individuals and families exiting coastal regions for a better quality of life. A new report from the California Policy Lab shows nearly 21,000 people moving from Los Angeles County to San Bernardino County from 2015-2019. This comes as the Wall Street Journal reported that the Inland Empire tied Phoenix in 2020 for the biggest gain in household growth from migration nationwide. Such hefty increases fortify not only our population base, but our potential labor pool – which, according to state Employment Development Department data, is approaching 1 million people who are currently employed or looking for work. For a recap of the California Policy Lab report, click here.
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My first job was mowing lawns in the neighborhood while in high school. My twin and I would walk up to a mile pushing a mower and carrying shovels and pruners. Soon, we had to borrow dad’s truck as demand for services was growing too much to allow time to walk between jobs. We expanded the business to include exterior house painting the following year, and were making so much money by our senior year, that I almost didn’t attend college. We’d learned early from our dad the value of hard work – he made us work with him around the property every Saturday starting when we were just 5, doing everything from building fences to framing and drywall, mixing and finishing concrete slabs to masonry. While I learned a lot about how to do things, the most important lesson was that I am not afraid to roll up my sleeves and try something new. This helped me to become the confident and adventuresome person I am today. |
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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, December 17: California EDD releases its November jobs report.
Open House for WDB’s new East Vally America’s Job Center of California, 10-11 a.m., 508 Inland Center Drive3, San Bernardino.
Friday, January 7: Bureau of Labor Statistics releases December U.S. jobs report.
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For archived videos of our free Business Services webinars, such as this one on hiring right the first time, 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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