Inland Empire/Desert

The Inland Empire’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.5% in December, down from 5.7% in November. California’s unemployment rate increased to 5.5% over the month, while the US rate went down by 0.1% to 4.1%. Long-term unemployment trends align with those of California and the US. The regional unemployment rate decreased by 0.1% from December 2023 to December 2024, despite fluctuating by 1.7% over the year.

The Inland Empire/Desert Region Center of Excellence (COE) has released four updated subregional workforce demand assessments, providing detailed analysis of the High Desert, Low Desert, Riverside County Metro, and San Bernardino County Metro job markets. COE Director Shannon Moran announced the release during the Inland Empire Desert Regional Consortium (IEDRC) quarterly meeting in May.

The Inland Empire Desert Region Center of Excellence (IE/D COE) team participated in the 2024 Energy & Infrastructure Sector Showcase at the Marriott Riverside Convention Center on March 20^th, 2024. The event, hosted by the Inland Regional Energy Network (I-REN) and the Inland Empire/Desert Regional Consortium (IEDRC), brought together education, training, government, community, business, and industry professionals to talk about industry trends, policy developments, and the workforce needs of the IE’s Energy & Infrastructure sector.

Michael Goss, director of the Inland Empire/Desert Center of Excellence for Labor Market Research, has been reappointed to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Data Users Advisory Committee (BLS DUAC) for a three-year term.

The Inland Empire/Desert Center of Excellence (COE) is excited to announce a new series of Subregional Workforce Demand Assessments.

To assist community colleges with strategic planning and program development, the Inland Empire/Desert Region Center of Excellence (COE) has released a workforce demand assessment highlighting high-quality job opportunitiesin the region.

To celebrate the first anniversary of the Inland Empire/Desert Region Career Education Map, an in-person Mapping Summit convened on July 14^th in downtown Riverside to discuss this vital resource’s success and future possibilities, including how to sustainably develop the map and increase its value for a variety of audiences.

The 2022 High-Quality Occupations in the Inland Empire/Desert Region report is now available. This year’s release categorizes high-quality occupations that are in demand and pay high wages by priority and emerging sector and includes typical entry-level education requirements.

The Inland Empire/Desert Region Centers of Excellence provides monthly updates on employment and job changes in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA labor market.