Nov 30, 2018, 12:17 PM ETConference Presentation, Panel, Fireside Chat

The Future of Workforce in California: Industry Trends and Employment Pipelines

Automation and robotics are displacing jobs in manufacturing, auto industry, retail, and agriculture, with automated water and collection systems now standard in California's Central Valley.
California is a global trendsetter regarding workforce shifts, yet faces parallel challenges to Hong Kong and China regarding overpriced housing, job shortages, and an aging population.
Economic mobility in the United States has declined over the last 30 years, largely due to the shift away from heavy manufacturing jobs that historically served as a pathway to the middle class.
Labor market dynamics are shifting toward a "21st-century workforce" where the average employee changes jobs every five years, necessitating continuous upskilling rather than one-time degree acquisition.
There is a critical need to bridge the gap between the "digital economy" and the workforce, as technical and digital skills now outnumber cognitive and non-cognitive skills in job descriptions.

The Los Angeles Basin workforce system includes 21 community colleges, 75+ colleges/universities, 7 workforce development boards, 40+ America's Job Centers, and 81 K-12 school districts.
LAEDC is partnering with 19 community colleges and the CSU system to create a regional "CRM hub" for real-time labor market information sharing.
The "Center for a Competitive Workforce" is a strategic partnership funded by the Strong Workforce Program to align curriculum with demand in aerospace, advanced transportation, biosciences, and digital media.
Santa Monica College has launched a cloud computing program with Amazon Web Services, designed with K-12 articulation and to be replicated across the region's 19 community colleges.
A "CloudFlex" apprenticeship model is being developed based on the existing AeroFlex pre-apprenticeship to address specific cloud computing talent gaps.

E-Velocity (Electric Vehicle Startup)

E-Velocity operates with a subscription-based mobility model, utilizing electric vehicles without combustion engines to optimize space for delivery and ride-share services.
The company faces a 1.9% unemployment rate for specialized engineering talent in LA, requiring recruitment from outside the local area.
E-Velocity employs a "Project eVelocity" structure with interconnected teams rather than traditional hierarchies to facilitate cross-departmental learning.
Retention strategies include a strong stock option plan, unlimited paid time off to signal trust, and a four-month paid parental leave policy (one month for men).
The "Pathways" program rotates early-career employees through different functions for their first three years to ensure role fit and broaden skill sets.

Northrop Grumman (Aerospace & Defense)

Northrop Grumman employs 28,000 people at 130 sites in California, focusing on hiring locally and retaining veterans transitioning from military service.
The company reports 25% of its sector hires are veterans and maintains a partnership with over 40 colleges and universities.
A specific joint curriculum with Antelope Valley Community College has achieved a 90% hiring rate of graduates in aircraft fabrication and assembly.
HR Vice President Jeannie Wade highlighted a personal career trajectory moving from quality assurance to head of HR over 30 years, illustrating the value of internal mobility.
The company currently has approximately 7,000 to 8,000 open positions, with a high demand for cleared talent.

University Ventures (Ryan Craig)

Hiring practices have shifted to a "Home Depot theory" where employers treat job descriptions like parts lists, leading to a preference for hiring exact skill matches over training new hires.
Approximately 7 million jobs in America remain unfilled due to employers disinvesting in early-career hiring to avoid the risk of churn (50% churn rate within two years for post-secondary grads).
"Last mile training" is identified as a necessary service provided by intermediaries who take on the hiring risk and provide skills training immediately before placement.
Ryan Craig advocates against tuition-based classroom models for experienced workers who fail at a rate of two-thirds, favoring apprenticeship models that reduce friction.

Intermediary Evolution: Intermediaries are transitioning from traditional staffing to "outsourced apprenticeship" models where the service provider hires the talent first, taking on the risk of screening and training before placing them with employers.
Partnership Necessity: Successful workforce development requires collaboration across the entire chain: K-12, community colleges, universities, industry, and intermediaries, as no single entity can solve the talent gap alone.
Curriculum Alignment: Industry leaders emphasize the urgent need for companies to assist educators in rebuilding curricula to match the rapid pace of technological change, as faculty often cannot keep up with industry requirements.
Inclusion of Incumbent Workers: Companies are developing programs like "iReturn" (for women re-entering the workforce) and internal job posting systems to upskill existing employees rather than solely recruiting externally.
Sourcing Diversity: Emerging intermediaries like Tectonic and TalentPath are successfully leveraging workforce boards to source diverse talent pools, including 40% underrepresented minorities in software development.

JPMorgan Chase Foundation is a primary sponsor of the "Future of Work" project, focusing on pillars of financial health, neighborhood revitalization, and small business expansion.
In response to recent California wildfires, JPMorgan Chase announced a $1 million contribution: $750,000 to the North Valley Community Foundation and $125,000 each to the Ventura County Community Foundation and United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
The firm is waiving late and overdraft fees for consumer customers in Butte, Ventura, and affected Los Angeles counties to support community resilience.
JPMorgan is matching all employee donations to the American Red Cross via a Facebook campaign.

E-Velocity advises candidates to demonstrate a drive to "build things" and identify opportunities rather than adhering strictly to traditional job descriptions.
Northrop Grumman advises students to maintain high GPAs in engineering, science, or math, while noting a high volume of openings in finance and accounting.
Ryan Craig advises that actual paid employment experience is critical for developing soft skills, as the over-focus on unpaid college internships is creating a deficit in workplace readiness.
The panelists agree that the "40-year degree is enough" model is obsolete; continuous learning and the ability to retrain throughout a 15-20 year career are essential.
Future workforce strategies must address the 82 years remaining in the 21st century by creating flexible, demand-driven educational pathways that serve individuals at all career stages.