2Gen/Early Workforce Development

When a person’s work environment aligns with their interests, they are more likely to perform better at work, achieve greater academic and career success, and may even earn more money than their peers. As educators, it can be difficult to engage youth in these conversations and encourage them to explore meaningful careers. Here are three ways to start.

This month the San Diego Workforce Partnership and Cajon Valley Unified School District are unveiling the Launch Pad—a middle school library transformed into a career center reimagined that blends the World of Work™ program with our tools and labor market information. The space will be a test bed for students and their families to get in touch with their personal strengths, interests and values; try on different careers; and make a plan and access resources that will help them reach their career goals.

Time and time again employers from all over San Diego County, of every size and from every industry, tell us one thing:  they struggle to find employees with essential skills for workplace success. In response, the San Diego Workforce Partnership has partnered with the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) to make sure people have opportunities to practice and develop these skills early. 

In partnership with the San Diego County Office of Education While technical skills are what you do at work, essential skills are how you do it. Employers value these skills in their employees—often as much as technical skills. Developing these

Many parents and guardians of children ages 0-12 need to work outside the home during California’s COVID-19 Stay Home Order because they provide essential services. Yet schools and many child care centers are closed. Here is guidance about how to think

As San Diego County children headed back to school, the Metro Career Center gave a boost to local parents by hosting the first-ever parent day, dubbed “Back to Work Day.”

At our Workforce Frontiers Symposium in November, local leaders and out-of-town renegades came together to be inspired and identify new frontiers for action in workforce development. UCTV captured the action.

Child care and workforce are an interdependent pair. If there were no working parents, there would be virtually no need for child care. And it goes the other way too.  If there’s no child care, then parents of young children can’t work—unless one parent makes enough money to support the whole family, which is rarely feasible in an expensive place like San Diego.