The North/Far North Center of Excellence (COE) participated April 5 in a virtual conversation hosted by Valley Vision on the labor market outlook for firefighting careers in the state and region.

Sara Philips, Far North COE director, presented key findings from a recently released statewide report, “Entry-level Firefighting Careers in California: A Labor Market Analysis.” Report findings addressed workforce demand and employment projections for four firefighting occupations, a comparison of firefighting workforce and student demographics, and an analysis of community college programs preparing students to enter entry-level firefighting careers.

Ebony Benzing, North/Far North COE research manager, shared analysis of regional labor market trends with a focus on workforce demand for firefighting occupations. 

Key regional findings included:

• Of the four occupations studied, employment is concentrated among firefighters, an occupation with 2,101 jobs in the region and 187 projected annual openings.
• Projected demand for firefighting occupations in the region is 7%, which is higher than statewide projected demand for the same set of occupations, 3%.
• Job postings indicate that local employers are putting more effort into filling positions, with a 5:1 job posting intensity for the four occupations, compared to a regional average of 4:1. Job postings for EMS firefighters have the longest online duration, 37-39 days, followed by firefighters, 28-34 days.
• Cities with the most job postings in the region are Sacramento, Davis, and Roseville.

More than 40 attendees participated in the event, which was part of a Public Safety Regional Advisory Meeting. An employer panel also discussed crucial skills and training needed to ensure a stable firefighting workforce, and barriers affecting hiring and workforce diversity.