Item 24 - Regional and Unified Local Workforce Plan for PY 2021-24

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The ICT/Digital Media (ICT) sector has 54,096 full- and part-time jobs. Computer programming services, computer systems design services, and software publishers have the highest number of jobs in the county, at 33,410 jobs combined. The average earnings per job in 2020 was $132,987. There were 4,545 payrolled business locations in the Orange County region in 2020. The industry growth between 2017 and 2020 was 0.8%, below the nation’s percentage of 3.5%. The expected job growth between 2020 to 2030 is 7.1%, with a gain of 3,849 jobs. The sector contributes $16.1 billion in GRP, 11% of the county’s total GRP. The technology sector accounts for a significant portion of Orange County’s economic activity, as economies, jobs, and personal lives become more digital and automated. The ICT sector develops innovative services and products that impact all industries in a region. The ICT applications can be seen in manufacturing with computer simulation and the healthcare industry with the rise of telemedicine and telehealth. Training and upskilling of existing staff in the industry will be crucial in ensuring regional competitiveness. The Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism sector has 369,332 full- and part-time jobs, making it the largest targeted sector of the RPU. The average earnings per job were $39,625 in 2020. There were 19,500 payrolled establishments in the Orange County region in 2020. The number of jobs declined by 5.9% between 2017 and 2020. The state and the nation declined by 5.7% during the same period. The expected change between 2020 to 2030 is a growth of 3.0% and 11,153 job gains. The sector contributes $26.2 billion in GRP, 10% of the county’s total GRP. According to the Orange County Visitors Association, OC welcomed 50.2 million visitors who spend 413 billion dollars in 2019. This sector is part of Orange County’s DNA and was hit the hardest by the pandemic’s effects. The industry sector is diverse and includes hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, cultural attractions, sports parks, theme parks, food establishments, retail stores, and other venues. The industries with the highest numbers of jobs in 2020 were full- service restaurants (60,461), limited-service restaurants (52,828), and amusement and theme parks (27,368). Often the jobs within these industries are characterized by low-wages. The industry has historically offered entry-level employment opportunities to new immigrants and candidates with a high school diploma. While many jobs exist in lower-paid, entry-level classifications, there are many opportunities to secure positions offering higher compensation. The challenge is ensuring those in entry-level positions obtain additional job-specific skills and English language skills necessary to qualify for promotional opportunities. Sector strategies and incumbent worker training are workforce development strategies that can play an essential role in lifting people up from lower-wage jobs. 2Bi i. Describe how the RPU and regional partners will expand or develop, and then implement sector initiatives for those in-demand industry sectors or occupations. Orange RPU started the regions sector partnership work under the Slingshot grant. The RPU engaged John Melville, a national leader in the design and practice of next-generation industry engagement. John Melville’s initial work guided the launch of Industry Sector Partnerships (ISP) in the RPU’s four priority sectors using the Next Gen Sector Partnership model. The first EXHIBIT 1