Inland Empire
Decarbonization requires a larger workforce, higher technology integration skills
Approximately 18,000 annual job openings indicate solid economic growth. Environmental and Equity progress requires advances in workforce development to decarbonize communities and create economic mobility for their residents.
Our Process:
Three-Part Data Analysis
TESC cultivates regional collaboratives that prioritize workforce initiatives to drive the triple bottom line of Economy, Environment, and Equity
Economy
Construction sector provides opportunities, worker scarcity impedes economic growth
While a lack of workers has slowed both job gains and labor force growth across the state and nation, the Inland Empire’s affordability advantage over its surrounding neighbors has been a key factor in helping the region avoid much of the slowdown. In year-to-date terms, from October 2017 to October 2018, the Inland Empire’s labor force expanded by 1.2% compared to 0.4% in California as a whole. According to the new analysis, the IE accounts for over 25% of the net increase in the state’s labor force during the past year.
Worker scarcity is having an effect, however, including putting upward pressure on wages. Across the region, earnings grew by 2.8% from the first half of 2017 to the first half of 2018. This is a modest jump compared to wage growth in the state overall (4.5%) although appreciable local wage gains are expected in 2019.
Environment
Innovative workforce solutions for environmental opportunities and challenges are essential to achieve decarbonization at scale for impacted communities
San Bernardino County and Riverside County are first and second, respectively, in the latest survey of counties with the worst air pollution in the nation, according to the latest “State of the Air” report from the American Lung Association.
A different approach is needed to truly address the current levels of pollution smothering Inland Empire communities. The goal of the Inland Valley Environmental Justice Intervention And Revitalization Program is to create real environmental justice where all communities have the right to healthy, safe, and prosperous communities. The goal encompasses three environmental justice imperatives
- Stop the levels of pollution from getting worse;
- Intervene and take dramatic steps to reduce the imminent health threat and reduce the current levels of pollution
- Take proactive steps to create healthy, sustainable communities
Equity
Poor environmental quality is strongly correlated with economic disadvantage, indicating regional responsibility for social equity in addition to environmental justice
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