Publications
Below are various publications helpful for community colleges and our workforce and economic development stakeholders.
America’s Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs (November, 2007)
The demand for workers to fill jobs in the middle of the labor market - those that require more than high-school, but less than a four-year degree - will likely remain quite robust relative to its supply, especially in key sectors. This paper reviews evidence on how the demand for workers with different levels of education and training will evolve over the next decade and beyond.
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California Green Innovation Index 2008 (Inaugural Issue)
The inaugural California Green Innovation Index produced by Next 10 provides a comprehensive look at the role of innovation in reducing greenhouse gas emissions while growing the economy. The Index measures progress toward green innovation - green in the sense that it generates both environmental and economic benefits. California has been driven by waves of innovation in information technology, biotechnology and now energy. Building on a first wave of innovation based on energy efficiency, the Index identifies a next wave of innovation that could bring new breakthroughs in both energy efficiency and clean energy.
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Green Careers Resource Guide (December 2007)
Using the O*NET database, the Green Careers Resource Guide identifies a list of 77 green occupations predominantly within the science field. This resource reviews employment statistics for green occupations, including size, median hourly wages, education and training levels, typical career pathways, and ten-year projections.
To get the Guide, click here...
Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), 2008-09 Edition
The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics has updated their Occupational Outlook Handbook. For hundreds of different types of jobs, the Occupational Outlook Handbook tells you: the training and education needed, earnings, expected job prospects, what workers do on the job, and working conditions.
To get the Handbook, click here...
How Should Colleges Assess and Improve Student Learning? Employers’ Views on the Accountability Challenge (January, 2008)
Employers are satisfied that the majority of college graduates who apply for positions at their companies possess a range of skills that prepare them for success in entry-level positions, but they are notably less confident that graduates are prepared for advancement or promotion. While recent graduates are seen to demonstrate solid skills in the areas of teamwork, ethical judgment, and intercultural skills, employers are less convinced of their preparedness in terms of global knowledge, self-direction, and writing. Employers’ impressions of graduates’ preparedness in 12 areas of learning suggest room for improvement across the board, however.
How Many College Graduates does the U.S. Labor Force really need? (February, 2008)
Conventional wisdom has it that the demand for workers with college degrees is growing rapidly in the United States and will escalate. But the issue of what job qualifications will be important in the future and for whom is complex, with several threads of argument intertwined. First comes the very important question of how an individual can best prepare educationally to do well in the future labor market. Coupled with that question is the need for citizens to have an equal opportunity to attend and complete college, such access being key to the nation’s major problem of income inequality among racial and ethnic groups. Second is the question of how many college graduates the nation needs to produce, and with what skills, to ensure our national prosperity in an age of rapid technological change, globalization, and strong international competition.
Economic Impact of the 42007 Wildfires
The Southern California wildfires of October 2007 affected lives and businesses in seven Southern California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. To read the entire Labor Market Information Division's 2007 Fire Report and view a GIS map of the potential employment/business effect of the Southern California, click the link below.
Are They Really Ready to Work? (October, 2006)
The future U.S. workforce is here and it is woefully ill-prepared for the demands of today’s (and tomorrow’s) workplace. So say employers in a unique study by The Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, Partnership for 21st Century Skills, and the Society for Human Resource Management, which looks at readiness of new entrants to the workforce. While the "three R’s" are still fundamental to any new workforce entrant’s ability to do the job, employers emphasize the applied skills like Teamwork/Collaboration and Critical Thinking are "very important" to success at work.
Closing the Health Workforce Gap in California (November, 2007)
California’s population is growing, aging and becoming increasingly diverse. These compounding factors will increase demand for all types of health care services, placing a corresponding demand on allied health professionals and leading to the need for more trained professionals. In California, employment demand for allied health workers is expected to grow by 26% in less than a decade, while overall employment is expected to grow by 16%. Without significant expansion of the state’s educational capacity and an unprecedented focus on student success, there will not be enough allied health workers to meet the growing health care needs of California.
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Inc. 5,000: The Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America (2007)
Ranked by percentage of revenue, the Inc. 5,000 identifies the fastest-growing businesses driving the U.S. economy. Search by number of employees, revenue, or industry.
Research Brief: Patterns and Trends in the Location Decisions of California Businesses (November, 2007)
Much recent debate about the state’s employment trends has focused on the narrow issue of whether California businesses are moving to other states, and taking jobs with them. But looking at the broader patterns of employment dynamics-the ways in which jobs and businesses move into, around, and out of the state-provides a more accurate understanding of the California economy.
The Economic Impacts of CalPERS Investments on the California Economy (September, 2007)
CalPERS investments inject an added-value of nearly $8.5 billion in the California economy annually, making CalPERS a larger player in the California economy than the machinery manufacturing, oil and gas extraction, amusements and recreation industries.