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Existing workers need to access affordable, flexible education and tramIng opportunities that allows them to add to their current skill set to stay competitive in their industry, and to avail themselves of opportunities for advancement and promotion, Many workers have some of the same deficiencies mentioned above in relation to job seekers. B. How will the needs of employers be determined in your area? [State Plarming Guidance IV.B.6] The City of Santa Ana's Economic Development Division has successfully used a variety of methods to determine employers needs in the city including surveys, focus groups, community forums, personal telephone calls and visits. In addition, the City has State Enterprise Zone and more recently, Federal Empowerment Zone designation, both of which have extensively surveyed the local businesses and community members to determine needs. It is not the Santa Ana Workforce Investment Board's intent to duplicate these efforts but instead to use this information and other data culled from local organizations such as the Employment Development Department, Chamber of Commerce, Southland Economic Development Corporation and Rancho Santiago Community College District to determine the needs of local employers. Additional data collection efforts will be utilized as needed. C. FVhat are the current and projected employment opportunities in the local area? [WIA Section 118(b)(1 )(B)] The latest Orange County data (5/20/05 press release) . provided by the Employment DevelopmentDepartm@l's LaborMarket. fuformation Division for the period between April 2004 and Apri12005 showsoverall growth innon-fann jobs .of 1.5% (21,500jobs) upfromO.3perc(;:ntayearago. Professional and business servicesreported the largest gaini(up8,800j?bs).ii1'rad~,transportation and utilities grew by 4,200 jobs with nearly93% oftl1S.. eXPansioI1)nretail tradS' .Construction~lso. h~d an increaseC)f3500 jobswitli 740/0 .9tthe gro\Vthip specialty trade.. contractors. .J obs d(;:cIi~es wer(;\~althis . last year . with.a reduction of 400jobs, which were. equally dividedbetweentelecommunication~ resellersand other telecommunications. . . Santa Ana's llllemploymentrate fOI Apri12005i.,was 5.5%, whichrelTIaiIls higher ,than that ?fOrange County asa whole, which is at 3.5%.WIB .BC)ard members are. now .talldng about the difficulties they are having finding qualified workers whereas a year ago they were still sitting tight and hoping theywouldn't have tolay off any more workers: The 2000 Orange County Forecast released Chapman University's Center for Economic Research states that even though job growth dipped in 1999 to 3.2 % it is still higher than the job growth rate in the U.S. which is at 2.2 % and even higher than most other California counties. The Chapman Model expects an average annual job growth rate of 3% and predicts growth to be between 2 and 2.6% over the next five years. Another recent study completed by the Santa Ana Empowerment Zone also shows that manufacturing, retail trade, services (personal and business), wholesale trade and education hire the most employees. EXHIBIT 1 11 190-3