San Diego/Imperial

In celebration of Diversity Month, the San Diego & Imperial Center of Excellence and Regional Consortium proudly announce the winners of the inaugural Inclusive Workplace Champion Awards—recognizing employers who create work environments where employees of all backgrounds are empowered to thrive.

Identifying high-demand, high-wage careers is vital to driving economic stability and mobility in Imperial County. In its latest study, Priority Jobs and Programs in Imperial County, the San Diego & Imperial Center of Excellence (SDI COE) analyzed labor market and postsecondary data to identify priority jobs and programs, uncover equity gaps based on age, gender, and race/ethnicity, and assess where progress has been made to address equity gaps. These insights can inform enrollment and hiring efforts to build a more diverse and representative workforce in Imperial County.

Last year, the San Diego & Imperial Center of Excellence (COE) found that the state needed to pick up the pace to meet its goal of registering 500,000 apprentices by 2029. In response, our 2024 report provided four recommendations on how to expand apprenticeship programs in San Diego & Imperial Counties.

The COE is excited to welcome two new team members who will strengthen and expand our research and professional development services at the San Diego & Imperial Counties Community Colleges.

As we welcome 2025, we are excited to reflect on and share the incredible work the COE accomplished in 2024! Our reports examined equity gaps in priority jobs and programs, labor market opportunities for adult education, employer needs in senior care, student support services’ impact on academic success, and apprenticeships across our region. In case you missed it, check out the reports and news stories that we shared throughout the year.

The San Diego & Imperial Community Colleges Center of Excellence (COE) released our latest report, Priority Jobs and Programs: Addressing Equity Gaps for a Diverse Workforce.

The senior care industry in the San Diego/Imperial region is facing an urgent crisis. A new study by the San Diego/Imperial Center of Excellence (COE) found that the region’s population aged 65 and over is expanding rapidly—7% since 2020—indicating the region will need more services to accommodate a larger population of seniors. Currently, senior care living facilities can only accommodate 8% of the 65 years old and over cohort in San Diego County and 3% in Imperial County. Compounding this shortage is employers’ limited ability to meet the expanding demand for senior care workers, a shortage current training programs in the region need to address.

The San Diego & Imperial Community Colleges Center of Excellence (COE) and San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center (PIC) drafted a regional plan that secured $14 million from California Jobs First for the Southern Border Region. These catalyst funds will support “pre-development activities” that 1) lead to a net-zero economy, 2) create high-road jobs and 3) benefit disinvested communities. These projects will not only combat the effects of climate change within our communities, but also strive to include communities that have historically been unable to contribute to such planning efforts in the past.

In response to statewide efforts to expand workforce training offerings, the San Diego/Imperial Center of Excellence (COE) will hold a webinar this month to share key findings from a new report entitled “Opportunities for Apprenticeships in San Diego & Imperial Counties.”