With multiple world-renowned educational institutions and universities, and four community college districts that encompass nine campuses, Orange County has the resources to prepare a next-generation workforce. That workforce will be critical to secure our region’s position as a world-leading hub for cutting-edge industry, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Serving 34 cities and multiple large unincorporated areas in Orange County, OWA collaborates with partners to build on the region’s strengths, address challenges, and expand opportunities for community members and businesses that fuel economic vitality.
OWA leads the region’s vision for a future-ready workforce that is better skilled, trained, and prepared to keep industries competitive, communities thriving, and the economy growing. Identifying industries with the largest financial impact on the region, OWA works with industries and partners to develop and deploy innovative strategies and solutions that meet current and emerging labor gaps for these employers.
By building a pipeline of qualified workers for the region’s growing and emerging industry sectors, we’re working to build a stronger Orange County for all
The manufacturing sector contributes a total Gross Regional Product (GRP) of $23.8 billion — around 10% of Orange County’s total GRP.
While experiencing high growth in multiple sub-sectors including manufacturing for medical equipment and supplies, semiconductors, electronic components, aerospace, and parts, the region’s manufacturing industry also faces significant challenges. These include an aging workforce, a shift to new skills driven by automation, and increased global competition.
OWA is working to address these challenges with strategies to prepare the next generation of manufacturing workers with future-ready, competitive skills.
Contributing $15.5 billion in GRP, representing 9% of the County’s total GRP, the healthcare industry sector is expended to experience an 18.2% growth by 2030. This growth is fueled by the region’s aging population.
With expanding demand for healthcare workers in ambulatory care, hospitals, skilled nursing and residential facilities, the healthcare sector is a key driver for our region’s economic growth and is resilient to recession.
Through partnerships, OWA is identifying solutions to meet the growing demand for skilled healthcare workers with training that leads to well-paying careers with room for growth.
More than 54,000 people are employed in the information technology and digital media industry across the County, with an average annual salary of $132,987. With $16.1 billion in GRP representing 11% of the County’s total GRP, this industry sector has a significant economic impact on the region, as well as on other industry sectors.
As our lives, work, and world become increasingly digital, demand for professionals with specific skillsets will be vital to our regional competitiveness. OWA is focused on training the talent to drive innovation and secure the region’s position as a technology hub.
Each year, Orange County welcomes over 50 million visitors who spend around $413 billion. As a major destination, the regional economy relies on the hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, cultural attractions, sports parks, amusement parks, food establishments, retail stores, and other venues these visitors frequent.
Combined, this vital industry sector creates around 369,332 jobs and contributes $26.2 billion to GRP. With a very diverse workforce, this sector employs many workers at low wages. OWA is working to identify and implement strategies that lift people up from lower paying jobs while ensuring that this sector continues to be a powerful economic engine for the region.
