My Career
Career Coach
Interested in exploring local careers or educational programs? Use Career Coach to:
- Take a career assessment
- Explore industries and occupations that match your interests
- Find San Diego-specific wage and occupation growth information
- Access real-time job postings
- Build a resume
- Learn about educational programs that can prepare you for your dream job
- For veterans, find civilian careers related to your military occupation.
Job search sites
Expand your job search by tapping into some of the “hidden” websites offering quality job leads you may not find on big search engines.
Learn moreHow to Get a Job in the Priority Sectors
Our research has identified five priority sectors—advanced manufacturing, clean energy, health care, information and communication technologies, and life sciences—in San Diego County that exhibit high growth in number of job openings and strong wages. Here are some ideas on how to get started in these sectors:
Advanced manufacturing uses technology and advanced processes to create goods for consumers and businesses. With high-tech jobs in computers and robotics, Advanced Manufacturing includes diverse industries such as electronics, aerospace, fabrication metals, biotechnology, maritime and more.
- Earn an associate degree — San Diego City College
- Bring your ideas to life — Fab Lab San Diego
- Get training — MiraCosta College Technology Career Institute, San Diego Continuing Education, Workshops for Warriors
- Find out about paid apprenticeship programs — California Division of Apprenticeship Standards
- Find an apprenticeship work-study program — Advanced Manufacturing & Transportation Apprenticeships of California
Clean energy is the research and application of environmentally friendly energy solutions. The majority of employers and jobs in San Diego County are in Energy Efficiency (e.g., efficient building) and Renewable Energy (e.g., solar power). A significant number of jobs in this sector have been repurposed from the building and trades industry, where new technologies are applied to traditional construction jobs. For example, roofers are now solar photovoltaic (PV) installers.
- Get involved in projects — Cleantech San Diego
- Learn about free certification programs — San Diego Continuing Education
- Explore certification programs — Clean Tech Institute
- Plan for a career in Clean Energy — Department of Energy
- Enroll in a paid apprenticeship program — California Division of Apprenticeship Standards
- Volunteer and install solar panels for low-income families — GRID Alternatives
Health care combines technology and empathy to help the public stay healthy or get well. It is one of the largest sectors in San Diego County; an estimated one in every eight jobs in the region is health services-related. This sector is also known to be “recession-proof” and stable as jobs grew during 2007–2009 when all other jobs in the region declined.
- Volunteer to gain experience — UCSD Health, Alvarado Hospital Medical Center
- Find an internship — Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, Family Health Centers of San Diego, Sharp Healthcare, CONNECT2Careers
- Further your education — San Diego Continuing Education, Healthcare Academy California, SDSU, UCSD, Mesa College, Miramar College
Information and communication technologies (ICT) is the sector that develops products and services in telecommunications, video gaming, cybersecurity, data analytics and bioinformatics, with employers ranging from innovative startups to large global corporations. This sector includes a variety of jobs in computer programs, web interfacing, information processing and data storage.
- Learn to code — Khan Academy, W3Schools
- Join a coding club — Girls Who Code, computer programming Meetup groups
- Further your education and hands-on experience — UCSD Extension courses or bootcamp, San Diego Continuing Education
- Build your network — Tech San Diego
- Connect with local community members — San Diego Association of Information Technology Professionals, Technology Services Industry Association
Life sciences, or biotechnology, spans a variety of fields, such as medical devices, therapeutics and drug development. San Diego is ranked as one of the top 5 Life Sciences regions in the U.S., with more than 80 research institutions in the county.
- Learn more about the sector — California Life Sciences Association
- Apply for a paid summer internship — Life Sciences Summer Institute
- Get a certificate — MiraCosta College, UCSD Extension, Miramar College
- Internships for high school students — Life Sciences Summer Institute
- Research companies — Join the BIOCOM member community
- Learn more about undergraduate and graduate programs — UCSD, SDSU, CSU San Marcos
Searching in San Diego podcast
The official podcast of the San Diego Workforce Partnership’s career centers. Explore workforce topics, discover trends and learn the tips you need to succeed on the go.
