Tag: talent

A note from Mark in September: From classrooms to careers

By Mark Cafferty,

“Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends.”
—Green Day

EDC investors, board members, and partners,

It’s that time of year again. If you happen to be a parent or grandparent of a certain age, live near a college or university, or work with or adjacent to higher education in any way, you know that more than 200,000 students have just made their way back to campuses, classrooms, dorm rooms, and lecture halls across our region. All ages and backgrounds. Residents and commuters. Adult learners and recent high school graduates. Hopeful. Motivated. Excited. All the things a region could and should hope for as it looks to grow and sustain a world-class economy and a world-class workforce.

To know and understand anything about the history of San Diego and our economy is to know and understand the value, strength, and importance of higher education. The critical role that our universities, community colleges, and learning communities have played over the last several decades cannot be overstated. As an economic development community, we must never forget what an important role they have played in growing and diversifying our region.

Yet as classes begin this year, unprecedented challenges continue to mount for San Diego and for our nation’s higher education institutions. Federal funding cuts; legal battles for individual universities, systems, and student populations; escalating costs, and constant threats and heated rhetoric coming from Washington, D.C. are all creating strains, burdens, and pressures that will test the system like never before. Even more so within the State of California. But as we look toward an uncertain future, let us continue to draw inspiration, strength, and resolve from the certainty of the past.

The story of higher education in the San Diego region continues to be one of inspirational growth and resilience against the backdrop of near constant challenge. Over the last century, our colleges and universities have grown from educating a few hundred students a year to hundreds of thousands of students a year. Through world wars, depressions and recessions, the rise and fall of industries, near unthinkable technological and scientific advancement, and an almost unimaginable public health pandemic, they have not only endured—they have thrived. As millions of learners have walked across stages to earn their diplomas, they have walked out into our community to start careers, grow businesses, and power industries. The San Diego economy has grown around them and because of them. And it still does.

A new chapter of history surrounds us. The stakes are certainly high for the education community and for the growth and sustainability of our economy. How we react and respond to this moment will tell future generations a great deal about who we were. And someday, if I should appear anywhere in those historical stories and records, you will most certainly find me standing side by side with our leaders and partners in higher education—right where I hope to find all of you as well.

Wishing you well this September,

Mark

P.s., EDC and Junior Achievement are surveying businesses to understand the benefits of hosting interns. If your San Diego company has recently hosted an intern, please share your insight.

Mark Cafferty
Mark Cafferty

President & CEO

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Addressing the talent gap through inclusive innovation

By Taylor Dunne,

A regional call to action

In May, San Diego Regional EDC hosted its quarterly convening on the Inclusive Growth goal focused on skilled talent. With more than 50 leaders from private companies, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations, the discussion focused on creative ways to grow San Diego’s innovation economy workforce. Participants engaged in critical conversation about the ways work-based learning, credit for prior experience, and new forms of education funding will help the region reach its skilled talent goal.

Within the Inclusive Growth framework, the talent goal is the only one measured in annual cohorts. Each year, EDC tracks the number of San Diegans completing a post-secondary education within six years of high school graduation. The goal is to see 20,000 newly skilled workers in San Diego each year.

Post-secondary education completions include certificates, associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degree and post-graduate degrees. The data focuses on students that completed high school in San Diego County, capturing their post-secondary completions regardless of where they went after high school graduation. The goal is driven by two factors:

  1. A thriving innovation economy and evolving technology in every sector mean that most of the jobs being added to the economy require a post-secondary degree.
  2. As San Diego’s high cost of living continues to threaten talent attraction into the region, it is crucial to ensure access to quality jobs for current residents.

For a full breakdown on the purpose of the goal, take a look at the original report.

The goal update

Of the 31,510 students that graduated from a San Diego high school in 2018, 12,850 of them had completed a post-secondary education by 2024. While we did see a one percent decrease from the last report, completions have generally remained consistent following the largest recorded increase from 2020 to 2021. We are not yet seeing the impacts of the COVID pandemic, and likely will not for another two years.

San Diego K-16 Students have sustained PSE completion rates

A double-click into degree completions

When we look one layer deeper at the students that completed a post-secondary degree by 2024, the data reveals good news for San Diego. The demographic distribution of degree-completers is generally reflective of the region’s demographics, and the areas of study are evenly distributed, with Business Administration boasting the highest portion of graduates. Nevertheless, when comparing the types of degrees conferred from 2020 to 2023, there was a decrease in bachelor’s and associate degrees and a significant increase in awards of less than two academic years. With most of the jobs being added in San Diego’s innovation economy requiring a bachelor’s degree, there is a crucial need for stackable credentials. These credentials would allow certificate holders to follow the path to a bachelor’s degree but offer the option to pause along the way while still being qualified for a good job.

The ability to move between the education system and a career is a win for everyone involved. Employers often struggle with unrealistic expectations or an inability to apply theory when hiring people from the academic system with little to no time in industry. On the student side, the cost of getting an education can be a barrier to student completion. Many people benefit from programs that are broken up into more “bite-size pieces,” allowing them to save up between sections/courses. Notably, education institutions that receive additional funding for successful student completion are able to count the same person multiple times when programs are broken up into smaller pieces. This opens the door for more funding opportunities.

Bachelor’s degree completions decrease despite that being the most in demand for new jobs

Talent is evenly distributed, opportunity is not

Despite being an epicenter for innovation and groundbreaking ideas, not all of San Diego’s residents have access to that innovation economy. Poverty disproportionately affects people of color, leading to barriers in educational attainment and the ability to compete for innovation jobs.

Additionally, shrinking high school class sizes mean that the portion of high school graduates going on to complete a post-secondary degree will need to increase for the region to meet its annual goal of 20,000 new skilled workers.

All of this is compounding to create a challenging hiring environment for employers. Even when the economy is facing higher levels of unemployment, the long-term trends around skill alignment and the need for more workers with a post-secondary education remains constant.

As mentioned before, one potential solution is for the region (and the country) to invest in more ways for learners to obtain industry-recognized degrees and credentials. Credit for prior learning or experience, dual-enrollment, and generally improved alignment across education systems become critical.

Innovation economy demographics are not reflective of regional demographics, or the workforce of tomorrow

Addressing the talent gap with strategic partnerships

During the May roundtable, a few partners were able to share how they are working to integrate the education and work journeys for participants.

  • Companies like Vertex Pharmaceuticals, in partnership with Junior Achievement of San Diego County, offer high school internship programs to support students in exploring the professional world and understanding their career aspirations before ever leaving the K-12 system.
  • The community college system is working with employers like GKN to build an apprenticeship hub the enables more earn-and-learn models without the headache that often comes with standing up a registered apprenticeship.
  • Organizations such as Family Health Centers of San Diego have been exploring loan forgiveness as a retention tool for staff, while ASML is investing in internal upskilling to support employee advancement and long-term workforce development.

Call to action

EDC cannot do this work alone. Progress on the 2030 Inclusive Growth goals is only achievable with and through the region’s employers scaling innovative and intentional solutions. If you want to be a part of the incredible group of organizations that are carrying the torch to 2030, EDC invites you to endorse the goals, use data tools like our talent dashboard and the progress reports to tell San Diego’s story, and share with us how you are driving progress toward an Inclusive San Diego.

Also: EDC and Junior Achievement are surveying businesses to understand the benefits of hosting interns. If your San Diego company has recently hosted an intern, please share your insight.

Taylor Dunne
Taylor Dunne

Director, Talent Initiatives

More on inclusive growth

Inclusive Growth Spotlight: Neighborhood House Association

By San Diego Regional EDC,

To celebrate and inspire the efforts of regional employers, EDC’s Inclusive Growth blog series highlights San Diego companies and organizations helping to drive progress on the 2030 Inclusive Growth goals. Below we feature San Diego’s comprehensive human services provider Neighborhood House Association (NHA).

Launched in 2018 and informed by a partnership with the Brookings Institution, the Inclusive Growth initiative sets 2030 goals including increasing the number of thriving households locally, and making the business case for economic inclusion. Decreasing affordability in San Diego threatens progress toward all of the goals and disproportionately impacts communities of color. Household incomes have not kept pace with the cost-of-living, leaving only one in 10 households able to afford the median-priced home in the region. As of 2023, San Diego has added 49,916 newly thriving households (chart below) bringing the total number of San Diego’s thriving households in the region to 610,983.

Read the latest Update

 

Supporting households through a continuum of education and wellness

The Neighborhood House Association (NHA) was founded during the settlement house movement in 1914 to assist immigrants as they transitioned to living in the country.

NHA today

As a major employer and one of the largest nonprofit social services agencies in San Diego, NHA works through its Continuum of Care Model, a wrap-around service delivery model supporting households from prenatal to senior care. Its mission: To enrich lives through a continuum of education and wellness services, nurturing children and families from the earliest stages of life through adulthood, providing youth development and career exploration opportunities that allow them eventually to join the region’s workforce with a direct pipeline to workforce opportunities within NHA.

Challenges in grant-funded household support

Currently, NHA supports more than 5,000 community members by advocating for additional funding that addresses household affordability and accessibility challenges to realize dreams for as many households as possible. Because healthy and educated communities are where dreams become reality.

With federal and state grants, each program participant is assisted through a two-year enrollment period with direct support from an NHA family service worker outlining goals and needs, often including early childhood education programs and childcare services. Funds allow for more classrooms slots for children meaning that parents in households and members of the NHA workforce can go to work and school. With this, NHA sustains competitive pay with cost-of-living adjustments alongside annual merit increases to attract the best teaching and support staff for households.

Most of NHA’s programs are funded by federal and state grants, and as funding for programs like Head Start is challenged at the federal level, NHA continues to actively work with regional, state, and national leaders to ensure that program participants and employees are self-sufficient in supporting themselves and their families.

In addition to visiting state and national offices, NHA invites lawmakers to visit NHA to see programs at work in-person with the goal of increasing visibility and understanding of how the agency impacts the local economy. With an economic impact of more than $200 million each year, NHA operations are making a difference in the lives of team members, program participants, and the entire San Diego region.

As a large local nonprofit, NHA often highlights its value in San Diego’s economic development as a major local employer that allows pathways to education and workforce development. NHA President and CEO Rudy Johnson and have both served on the EDC Board of Directors and strongly believe in EDC’s work. NHA has found great value in joining EDC’s leadership trips and is a proud endorser of the Inclusive Growth initiative.

Join the movement

Progress on EDC’s 2030 Inclusive Growth goals is only achievable with and through the region’s employers scaling innovative and intentional solutions. Organizations like NHA are helping to collectively pave the way toward a more inclusive regional economy.

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

Bree Burris
Bree Burris

Sr. Director, Communications & Community Engagement

A note from our Talent Initiatives Director

By Taylor Dunne,

Education & how business can fill the gap left by government funding

In the past five months, we have seen our education systems face cuts that threaten our most vulnerable communities. To help contextualize their impact, here’s what we know about the current state of education funding for our region:

  • The Governor is proposing a 7.95 percent cut to the CSU and UC systems. This equates to $128 million in cuts to San Diego alone and makes up nearly 40 percent of all state budget reductions.
  • The House Education and Workforce Committee has proposed $351 billion in budget cuts, including adjusted requirements for Pell Grant eligibility that would impact more than 125,000 students in the CSU system alone.
  • Federal agency research funding faces significant threats. This funding accounts for more than half of total research awards in the UC system, which produced 78 startups in FY23 alone.
  • The state continues to cut funding to the California Strong Workforce Program, impacting its ability to support career education. These cuts could reduce access to direct workforce training and supportive services, limiting opportunities for both students and workers.

Now more than ever, we are challenged to come together, discuss, and ideate. As San Diego emerges from the shock and chaos this year’s headlines have already caused, let’s pause to think about the opportunity ahead of us.

What is not news is that many of our systems, in their current forms, often struggle to serve the individuals and communities that need them most. While we know higher education to be an effective vehicle for socio-economic mobility, we continue to see a positive correlation between income and the test scores that determine college eligibility. Proposed reductions to Pell Grant availability, especially impacting individuals that must work full-time to make ends meet, will exacerbate these issues and make educational attainment even more challenging for low-income individuals.

In order to meet business needs for our future workforce and ensure all San Diegans have an opportunity to succeed—two goals that inextricably go hand in hand—we need creative and cross-functional solutions. Where the government divests, enterprise must invest to ensure its most critical asset, its people, remain available and prepared.

San Diego Regional EDC will continue to serve as a convener for the region, bringing the right people to the table for collaborative solutions. With changes in technology, an ever-increasing cost of living, and significant shifts in skills needs, EDC will advocate for a less linear and more intertwined relationship between industry and education. This comes in the form of:

  1. frequent exposure to the World of Work through experienceships and company tours;
  2. internships, like those available through Advancing San Diego and the K-16 Collaborative;
  3. and skills-first hiring practices like those available through apprenticeship models and advocated for by Opportunity @ Work.

EDC will also continue to explore new and innovative ways for businesses to help fill gaps, such as company-supported ScholarShare 529 plans or loan forgiveness programs for upskilling education.

Join us on May 21 for our Q2 Inclusive Growth Roundtable to learn more about this work and see how you can get involved. This small lunchtime event aims to bring together investors and partners engaged in the Inclusive Growth Initiative—especially the talent goal—to discuss where we stand as a region on doubling the number of skilled workers with just five years left in our timeline. If you are interested in joining that lunch, drop us a line!

Thank you,

Taylor Dunne
Taylor Dunne

Director, Talent Initiatives

Inclusive Growth Spotlight: SBCS

By San Diego Regional EDC,

To celebrate and inspire the efforts of regional employers, EDC’s new Inclusive Growth blog series will highlight San Diego companies and organizations helping to drive progress toward the 2030 Inclusive Growth goals. This blog features San Diego nonprofit service provider SBCS (formerly South Bay Community Services).

Launched in 2018 and informed by a partnership with the Brookings Institution, the Inclusive Growth initiative sets 2030 goals for San Diego related to increasing: 1) the supply of talent, 2) quality small business jobs, and 3) newly thriving households. The goals inform San Diego’s economic priorities and make the business case for economic inclusion.

Regional talent demand remains high

To maintain economic competitiveness, the region needs 20,000 students per year completing post-secondary education within six years of graduating high school. These include certifications, career technical education, and college degrees. Progress toward the goal has increased incrementally since 2017 yet completions have shown signs of tapering; the region still falls short of the goal; and the local supply of talent continues to be a critical priority for San Diego employers.

Talent scarcity has become the new normal as hiring demand exceeds the supply of talent across industries. Compounding this challenge, student success is demographically uneven in the San Diego region. Despite making up 35 percent of the population, Hispanics and Latinos only account for 17 percent of residents over 25 years old with at least a bachelor’s degree. Critical to growing the local talent pool will be creating more opportunities for Black and Latino students to succeed locally. Employer-led talent pipeline development efforts are critical to the future of San Diego’s economy and SBCS is among those working toward a solution.

Read the latest Update

 

When families thrive, San Diego County thrives

SBCS transforms communities to support the well-being and prosperity of children, youth, and families throughout San Diego County.

Recognized as a trusted leader in the region for more than 50 years, SBCS takes on San Diego’s toughest challenges with unwavering commitment to create lasting sustainable change. SBCS reaches more than 50,000 residents each year with widescale high-impact services proven to reduce homelessness, improve educational outcomes, advance economic mobility, and improve community safety.

SBCS College-Bound Youth

Understanding the opportunity gap

For young people from low-income communities, a lack of access to quality education, professional mentors, and financial resources will often lead to limited career opportunities in adulthood. Minimum wage jobs are often the only ones available—and can leave youth unable to cover the cost of even their most basic needs, especially in a high-cost region.

SBCS is closing the opportunity gap by paying youth a living wage while they gain hands-on experience in industries that foster long-term career growth and financial success.

For those ready to enter the workforce, paid technical training with local companies and industry-recognized certifications pave the way for stable, well-paying careers. After completing six-weeks of training with SBCS youth Pedro was hired as a full-time fiber optics technician at a competitive salary.

“Pedro wants to be here—he’s learning, he’s growing. Big picture, where he’s going to be in five or 10 years…it’s going be awesome for him to look back on where he started.”  —Justin Baldwin, Director of Construction, Wyyred

For college-bound youth, paid professional internships provide vital income while students continue their education and support their families. After transferring from Southwestern College to UCLA, Jamie worked with SBCS to secure a paid summer internship with the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, gaining hands-on experience in government affairs and policymaking.

“SBCS [helped] catapult my career—they saw something in me and gave me opportunities I didn’t think were possible. Now I’m working next door to City Hall every day, pursuing my passion for public policy.”—Jamie, SBCS Internship Graduate

SBCS provided more than 200 youth with employment support in 2024—and the demand for meaningful work experience is currently exceeding the agency’s capacity to place youth. SBCS is actively seeking local businesses to host interns with wages paid by SBCS. Contact impact@csbcs.org for more information or to get involved.

SBCS Internship student

SBCS’ leadership team shared that an Investment in EDC is an investment in regional workforce development.

“SBCS’ longtime partnership with San Diego Regional EDC has directly strengthened our impact.

Through EDC, SBCS has built meaningful connections with professionals across the region—resulting in new advisory partnerships, internship placements, funding opportunities, and community collaborations. When SBCS launched its internship program, EDC’s research and leadership in workforce development played a critical role in helping us secure grants and design a model grounded in real regional needs. SBCS is proud to be part of a network that champions inclusive economic growth, and we look forward to deepening our relationship in the years ahead.”

Join the movement

Progress on EDC’s 2030 Inclusive Growth goals is only achievable with and through the region’s employers scaling innovative and intentional solutions. Organizations like SBCS are helping to collectively pave the way toward a more inclusive regional economy.

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

Bree Burris
Bree Burris

Sr. Director, Communications & Community Engagement

San Diego employers share 2025 talent needs across critical roles

By Olivia Jones,

To better understand San Diego’s talent demand in priority industries, EDC’s Advancing San Diego program partnered with BW Research to conduct a comprehensive talent demand survey focused on business, computing, and engineering occupations. A survey of 264 businesses in San Diego County was fielded in March 2025. The survey prioritized larger firms to develop a more comprehensive profile of each of the listed occupations. All companies surveyed had at least five employees. Participation spanned all four of the primary regions in San Diego (North County, South County, East County, and Central San Diego) and several industries to ensure diversity of responses.

Talent Demand Report 2025 updates

This data-driven effort supports Advancing San Diego’s Verified Program process and provides a real-time look at the workforce needs of local employers. Results show that while businesses are ready to grow, many face ongoing challenges in finding candidates with the skills and certifications needed to fill both entry- and mid-level roles.

Key findings

  • The largest share of employers considered internally-facing business roles—finance, purchasing, or project management positions—the most important out of all business, computing, and engineering roles.
  • The most difficult entry-level roles to fill included general engineers, project managers, engineering technicians, and software developers.
    • Businesses that prioritized engineers cited engineering as the most difficult occupation to fill with qualified entry-level talent.
    • Entry-level software developer roles took the longest for companies to fill, with 19 percent of companies reporting that it takes more than six months to fill this role.
  • The most challenging experienced position to fill was software developers, followed closely by experienced general engineers.
  • In computing, employers prioritized IT and network security skills, with certifications like A+, Security+, and CCNA frequently required or preferred.

What’s next?

Advancing San Diego verifies educational programs that meet or exceed industry expectations across five key areas. Programs that earn this designation gain public recognition and connection to regional employers.

The 2025 application is now open for business, computing, and engineering programs. Programs that are already verified do not need to reapply; see current roster here.

Timeline

  • April 21: Verified Program application opens
  • September 26: Application deadline. EDC notifies programs that passed part one of the application process
  • November 13: Verified Program Designation Day
    • Programs pitch to industry to share diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at in-person event. Industry participants fill out rubrics based on program pitches as part two of the application
  • Early December: EDC announces Verified Programs

Apply Now

Explore more Talent Demand Reports

Check out Talent Demand Reports across other priority sectors to stay up to date on workforce trends in San Diego.

Dive into the data

Use EDC’s Data Dashboard to explore how local education programs align with regional workforce needs and identify equity gaps in real-time. The dashboard highlights race and gender disparities, program completions, and connections to priority occupations—all designed to support more data-informed talent development efforts in San Diego County.

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

Contact SDREDC
To learn more, please contact us.

EDC report: Annual Inclusive Growth Progress

By San Diego Regional EDC,

Report: Gaps in accessibility challenge the region’s goals

Today, San Diego Regional EDC released its Inclusive Growth Progress Report, using the most up to date and available data (2023). With new progress and bold objectives set around increasing the number of quality jobs, skilled talent, and thriving households critical to the region’s competitiveness, the report measures San Diego’s growth and future outlook, and spotlights the greatest threats to prosperity

progress.incLUSIVesd.org

Making the business case for inclusion, EDC releases this annual report to track progress toward the region’s 2030 goals: 50,000 new quality jobs* in small businesses; 20,000 skilled workers per year; and 75,000 newly thriving households**.

Since its launch in 2017, the initiative has rallied public commitments from County, City, academic, and private sector leaders who are leveraging the Inclusive Growth framework to inform their priorities, tactics, and resource allocation. While much about the economy remains uncertain and inclusion is challenged at the national level, intentional and consistent efforts by a diverse set of regional stakeholders will be key to achieving these goals.

THE STORY BEHIND THE DATA

Halfway through the decade, the San Diego region continues to make progress towards its 2030 goals with increases in quality jobs, post-secondary education completions, and median household incomes in communities of color. Nevertheless, gaps in accessibility continue to challenge the region’s competitiveness.

In terms of quality jobs, San Diego has made immense progress towards the 2030 goal and is even projected to exceed it. However, while quality job numbers have increased, small businesses are struggling with a stagnant pace in job growth, talent acquisition, and staff retention. These challenges further the gap between small and large businesses and threaten small businesses’ ability to compete.

With many small businesses considering leaving the region due to funding and staffing challenges, it is vital that these firms have access to new markets. San Diego anchor institutions can make an immense impact by shifting just one percent of existing procurement spend to small, local, and diverse businesses.

San Diego’s innovation economy has positioned the region as a global hub for breakthrough scientific research and life-changing technological advancements. Yet, our talent shortage poses a threat to San Diego’s competitiveness and talent goal. A key issue continues to be accessibility for low-income students who make up the workforce of tomorrow but are underrepresented in today’s workforce. While Hispanic and Latino students make up almost half of San Diego’s K-12 students, only 20 percent are currently represented in the innovation economy workforce.

Furthermore, less than 40 percent of Black and Latino students from the graduating class of 2023 were considered college-ready upon graduation, which translates into less students opting into post-secondary education. This lack of preparation, coupled with the increasing requirement of a bachelor’s degree for entry level jobs, is exacerbating the talent crisis in the innovation economy. If San Diego is going to meet workforce needs and the talent goal by 2030, greater efforts must be made to enable access and opportunity for local, young, and diverse students.

With rising housing, transportation, and grocery costs, San Diego remains one of the most expensive metros in the country. While median household incomes have seen significant growth—especially in Black and Latino households—they still struggle to keep pace with rising costs. There is also a racial disparity in San Diego’s ratio of housing wealth to population share. For example, Latino households represent 27.4 percent of the population but hold only 17 percent of the region’s housing wealth.

While not at pre-pandemic numbers yet, San Diego has added 49,916 newly thriving households as of 2023, notable progress in the face of increasing affordability pressure. In order to sustain progress, housing options must be made available at more affordable price points, and housing permit activity needs to be accelerated to meet regional goals—especially for affordable and middle-income units.

Join the movement

Learn more and get involved with EDC:

Read the full report here, and all previous updates at progress.inclusiveSD.org. 

The initiative is sponsored by Bank of America, Burnham Center for Community Advancement, County of San Diego, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Prebys Foundation, SDG&E, Southwest Airlines, and TOOTRiS.

more at inclusiveSD.org

*Quality job = $23.88 per hour wage + healthcare benefits.

**Thriving household = total income covers cost of living for renter- or owner-occupied households, at $77K and $124K respectively.

Industry Insights: Soft skills emerging as competitive advantage in hiring

By San Diego Regional EDC,

Key takeaways from Advancing San Diego’s Verified Program Workshop on soft skills

In February 2025, 30 regional educators gathered for the latest installment of EDC’s Verified Program Workshop series. This quarter’s focus: embedding essential soft skills into higher education curricula. This workshop was designed to provide faculty at Verified Programs, education providers recognized for aligning their curricula with industry needs, with tangible strategies to help students develop soft skills critical for career success.

The significance of soft skills

Feedback from employers that hosted Advancing San Diego summer interns in 2024 highlighted that while students often excel technically, gaps remain in communication, adaptability, and professional workplace behavior. A recent Forbes report highlights that 80 percent of employees say soft skills are more important than ever, while a General Assembly survey found that nearly half of executives and about a third of employees cite soft skills as the reason entry-level employees are underprepared for jobs. Employers noted challenges in areas like navigating team dynamics, taking initiative, and responding to emails—reinforcing the necessary role of soft or interpersonal skills in career readiness. Yet, we often overlook how these skills are developed—through upbringing, home-life, career services, and work-based learning (WBL) opportunities.

While some may think soft skills should come naturally, many take for granted the access they had to environments that developed these skills. For students without such access, learning interpersonal skills isn’t as intuitive. Inclusion plays a major role in career preparation—without the right exposure at home, school, or work, mastering these skills can be much harder.

Now, with automation and AI reshaping our lives and our industries, soft skills like communication, adaptability, and problem-solving are more critical than ever. Simultaneously, automation and a digital-first world can mean fewer opportunities for young people to practice these skills in day-to-day life.

Four things we learned:

1. Simulating job environments can ease the classroom-to-workplace transition

To better prepare students for professional settings, classrooms should mirror workplace dynamics. Apprenti shared how its instructors integrate structured check-ins, competency checklists, and team-based projects that simulate real work environments before moving on to work-based learning. Team meetings, capstone projects, and realistic simulations—such as crisis management exercises and client presentations—offer hands-on experience in communication, teamwork, and professionalism. By treating the classroom like a job environment, students gain practical exposure to workplace expectations in a safe and controlled environment.

2. Communication and public speaking practice remain valuable

Strong verbal communication continues to be a high-demand skill. A workshop discussion led by National Foundation for Autism Research shared the value of Toastmasters-style speaking exercises, structured presentations, and improvised workplace conversations. With AI taking over routine tasks, the ability to articulate ideas effectively will determine career growth and leadership potential.

3. Teach workplace norms to bridge generational gaps

Many students lack exposure to professional etiquette, workplace expectations, and unspoken social norms. Whether this is due to changes during the COVID pandemic or the omnipresence of social media, being transparent and communicative about workplace norms can help ease the transition from student to employee. Presenting programs suggested making implicit rules explicit–responding professionally to emails, understanding office hierarchies, and navigating different workplace cultures–to ease students’ transition into the workforce.

4. Leverage alumni to engage employers in sharing real-world experience

One of the most effective ways to develop soft skills is through direct employer interaction. Industry-led capstone projects and structured mentorship programs help students develop professionalism in real-world settings. Alumni in particular can bridge the gap for students who lack personal industry connections, offering invaluable career insights and mentorship.

Next steps

Advancing San Diego’s Verified Program Workshop reinforced what many of us know to be true: Soft skills are just as critical as technical expertise in today’s workforce. By fostering adaptability, communication, and professionalism in the classroom, educators can equip students with the skills needed for long-term career success. As industry and academia continue to collaborate, structured employer partnerships, alumni engagement, and innovative teaching methods will help bridge skill gaps and shape the future workforce.

  • Employers: Ensure students are prepared for entry-level jobs by participating in an employer working group.
  • Educators: Ensure your curriculum aligns with employer needs by becoming a Verified Program.
Contact SDREDC
To learn more, please contact us.

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