Since 1964, San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation has worked to attract, retain and grow businesses and quality jobs for the 3 million residents of San Diego County from Oceanside to Otay Mesa. The organization looks ahead to support emerging growth and innovation industries that will create the jobs of tomorrow and give critical support to the key industry clusters driving San Diego today.
The San Diego Regional EDC is committed to incubating talent and mobilizing a workforce that boosts San Diego’s global competitiveness—leading to better jobs and healthier businesses across the region. “Economic development begins and ends with workforce development,” says San Diego Regional EDC CEO Mark Cafferty. “San Diego is a global leader in life sciences, cyber security, information and communication technologies and more. As a region, we know that if we want to compete on a global scale and remain a leader in these fields, we must make sure we have the talent to get us there.”
EDC and SDWP work closely together to build and strengthen this bridge between talent and employers. Both organizations recently collaborated on San Diego’s California Community Colleges Strong Workforce Town Hall to discuss how to improve education and prepare a workforce that meets the needs of employers. The two also work very closely on the region’s Rapid Response program and both were invited to join Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s new Workforce and Economic Advisory Committee.
What many don’t realize is that the San Diego Regional EDC is mostly privately funded. But unlike other organizations, those who give to support its mission
aren’t considered donors—they’re investors—investors in San Diego’s economy, its businesses and its people. It’s this philosophy that creates active partners who not only support EDC’s mission, but work every day to fulfill it. No effort is a one-man or one-organization show. “We collaborate to compete,” says Cafferty. “In San Diego, we have businesses, academic, economic development and government leaders consistently addressing our workforce needs.”
Everything EDC does is successful only with or because of its partners. It’s this collaboration that is the key to changing the world’s perception of San Diego from the city known for sunshine to one known for the innovation and talent proven time and time again to grow and thrive here.
Fore more information on the San Diego Regional EDC, visit sandiegobusiness.org.