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About
3.1 Deliverables
Objective:
The California Space Authority partnered with workforce investment boards and economic development offices to conduct a workforce skills analysis of 200 employers, focused on key space and information technology companies, government employers, space entrepreneurial and small business companies, and manufacturing companies. The purpose of the assessment was to gather information about the skills required for critical employment positions and to identify future workforce gaps in order to develop a strategy to address future California Innovation Corridor employer needs.
Desired Outcome Metrics:
- Generate a minimum of 200 company responses to the project survey.
- Analyze data and develop a final report of the survey results.
- Publicize and disseminate survey results.
- Develop strategies to address identified training and education gaps.
- Share strategies across the entire Corridor.
Outcomes and Insights:
Both the results and the process are valuable. Among common WIRED CIC findings, four projects including 3.1 found a shortage of critical workers for innovative industries, and regardless of industry, occupation, level or position - improved levels of communication, interdisciplinary technical knowledge, problem solving, and systems thinking skills are required, as is systematic increased industry-education collaboration.
The strategic project approach aligns with the Department of Labor O*NET structure and followed methodology consistent with the California Economic Strategy Panel's Industry Clusters of Opportunity process. Data-driven analysis coupled with expertise and local knowledge of workforce and economic development professionals was used to evaluate critical high wage, high tech growth industries and occupations. This process created new partnerships and common strategic processes, and strengthened those that were in place. Sustainable innovative integrated economic and workforce initiatives have resulted using the 3.1 results and process; this strategic process will continue to be used by WIBs, EDCs and their stakeholders, fostering California's global competitiveness in the 21st century.
Results, Key Findings & Recommendations: Technology Workforce Issues and Opportunities in the California Innovation Corridor, the summary report for Project 3.1's workforce analysis effort.
It is important to note both the growth/contraction and size of the industry clusters.
The top 20 largest NAICS sectors showed good growth overall, adding over 300,000 jobs in the 2001-2006 period. Professional and technical services reported impressive numbers across the board-450,000 workers with an average weekly wage of $964, totaling more than $7.2 billion of payroll for the region, and adding nearly 46,000 new jobs. Among the top 20 NAICS, losses represent some of the sectors in which California innovation is transformed into commercial products. The transportation equipment sector is one where the region's aerospace companies reside; however there are no single NAICS codes that accurately reflect space and aerospace industries. Ten of the 32 large, high-wage occupation categories show strong growth in employment, though only four show a weekly wage per employee of greater than $900. No strong-growth, top-wage jobs were in manufacturing industries.
- Engineering was the single largest critical occupation. Technicians and scientists also ranked highly among critical occupations.
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) training is essential. Roughly 80% of the time that an innovation company in the survey pool mentioned a critical occupation or role, that role would fall within engineering, technical, scientific / R&D, mechanical, or computer science-related functions at the company.
- Most critical occupations fall into high wage categories. The median wage for the largest category-engineers-is between $60,000 and $105,000 per year.
- No educational preparation exceeds employer expectations. Both entry-level and professional level education are below expectation, and technical level education just meets a basic level of satisfaction.
- Critical skills shortages are real at all levels. More 75% of respondents expressed some concern about critical skills shortages at the technical level, professional level, or both.
- Anticipated new future required skills center on technology and industry-specific skills. Seventy out of 82 mentions of new required skillsets addressed either IT/computer-related or new technology or industry-specific skills.
- Desired high school or community college training covers a wide range of hard and soft skills. There was the same degree of interest in training related to mechanical, trades, electronics, and industry-specific technical skills as compared to workplace skills and communication / teamwork.
- The lack of workplace skills and work ethic among younger employees was a serious concern for many respondents.
- Workplace skills and technical knowledge are the most serious problems.
- Problem-solving and work ethic skills were also serious cause for concern.
- Performance in social skills and computer skills exceeded expectations. However, based on respondent comments, there are specific issues within these categories.
Recommended strategies for training investments:
- Improve on-the-job training (OJT) opportunities.
- Expand systematic integrated business-education collaboration for curricula and training programs and outreach.
- Improve business, educator, student, employee, and parent understanding of training resources and employment prospects.
- Be aware of and responsive to generational issues and the difference between teachable practical skills and skills related to individual character.
- Inform and mobilize elected leaders with data and recommendations.
- Expand the role of Workforce Investment Boards to drive transformational change.
- Work across jurisdictions for identified super-clusters.
Insights from other CIC WIRED projects:
All CIC WIRED projects unearthed insights relevant for this analysis. Six points stand out due to commonalities across projects or relevance to this workforce skills analysis. First, California faces hiring difficulties across disciplines and educational levels. Second, workers need better skills in communication, teamwork, computers, analytical ability, and business. Third, employers need more cost-effective ways to drive experience and ongoing training. Fourth, there needs to be greater alignment and coordination of strategies and metrics across economic stakeholders. Fifth, we need common strategies for overarching identified needs. And sixth, a common assessment should be explored for certifying basic technology skill competencies.
Related Records: Participants
1) City of Los Angeles Workforce Investment Board (LACity-WIB)
2) CSA - Industry Workforce and Manufacturing Development
3) CSA - Programs and Partnerships
4) Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance (GAVEA)
5) Kern County Workforce Investment Board (Kern-WIB)
6) Kern Economic Development Corporation (Kern-EDC)
7) Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC)
8) Los Angeles County Workforce Investment Board (LACounty-WIB)
9) Orange County Business Council (OCBC)
10) Orange County Workforce Investment Board (OC-WIB)
11) Private Industry Council of San Luis Obispo County (SLO-PIC)
12) Riverside County Economic Development Agency, Workforce Division (River-EDA/WIB)
13) San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board/Employment Development Agency (SBer-WIB/EDA)
14) San Luis Obispo Economic Vitality Corporation (SLOEVC)
15) South Bay Economic Development Partnership (SBEDP)
16) South Bay Workforce Investment Board (SBay-WIB)
17) Ventura County Economic Development Association (VCEDA)
18) Workforce Investment Board of Ventura County (VC-WIB)
Related Records: Accomplishments
1) Workforce Survey Tool Finalized
2) Workforce Survey Development in Progress
Opportunities for Collaboration
Use the Collaboration Search Engine to search across the site. The partners listed in this section of the project pages are open to collaborating in these fields with any interested companies. See below for a list of skills and competencies that contributed to the success of this project:
GAVEA: Advocacy; Business Development; Business Incentives; Cluster Analysis; Customized Training; Economic Development; Economic Impact Analysis; Economic Modeling; Facilitation (meetings, etc.); Labor Market Research; Marketing; Project Management; Project Partnering; Public Private Partners; Research; Resource Development; Skill Gap Analysis; Sponsorships; Strategic Planning; Surveys
Kern EDC: Business Development; Business Incentives; Cluster Analysis; Economic Development; Economic Impact Analysis; Economic Modeling; Facilitation (meetings, etc.); Innovation Support; Marketing; Project Management; Project Partnering; Public Private Partners
Los Angeles EDC: Business Development; Business Incentives; Cluster Analysis; Community College; Economic Development; Economic Impact Analysis; Economic Modeling; Grant Writing; Labor Market Research; Policy Maker Education/Outreach; Public Private Partners; Research; Resource Development; Strategic Planning
OCBC: Advocacy; Assessments; Business Development; Business Incentives; Cluster Analysis; Economic Development; Economic Impact Analysis; Economic Modeling; Facilitation (meetings, etc.); GIS; Grant Writing; Labor Market Research; Policy Maker Education/Outreach; Project Management; Research; Resource Development; Skill Gap Analysis; Strategic Planning; Surveys
OCWIB: Cluster Analysis; Community College; Customized Training; Economic Development; Facilitation (meetings, etc.); Fiscal Agent; Grant Writing; Labor Market Research; Project Management
Private Industry Council: Advocacy; Business Development; Cluster Analysis; Economic Development; Facilitation (meetings, etc.); Marketing; Project Partnering; Public Private Partners; Skill Gap Analysis
SBEDP: Business Development; Economic Development; Facilitation (meetings, etc.); Public Private Partners
SLOEVC: Economic Development; Economic Impact Analysis; Innovation Support; Project Partnering
Ventura County EDA: Advocacy; Business Development; Community College; Economic Development; Economic Impact Analysis; Job Training; K-12 Outreach; Policy Maker Education/Outreach; Public Private Partners
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