Job Growth in Orange County
Copyright Jack Mixner. 714 449 1040. www.mixnerstrategy.com
Manufacturing jobs in Orange County peaked at 231 thousand in 1990, with a smaller peak of 217 thousand in 2000. Right now, we're at approximately 183 thousand (Tolkoff, 4).
Strengths in aerospace and defense have evolved to those in medical devices and, if things go very right, in biosciences.
Orange County is lucky. Cluster diversity in Orange County leads the nation. When aerospace and defense tanked in the early 90s, computer software, pharmaceuticals and communications equipment grew.
Planning for the future necessitates a continual look at what we have and making them stronger. It also requires that we consider what we might have in the future and how to help clusters that aren't very strong yet continue to grow.
Manufacturing will likely continue to migrate to cheaper locations. R&D will stay if we continue to improve our universities and trade organizations, says Jack Kyser, chief economist for the LA Economic Development Corporation (Tolkoff, 4).
Within the county, manufacturing is largely centered in the north. The biggest losses in jobs have been concentrated there (23,143 jobs lost in north Orange County versus 5,815 lost in south County) (Tolkoff, 4). Replacing those lost jobs requires engagement of the north Orange County community in creating jobs, especially high tech, high multiplier jobs.
References
Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. Mid-Year Updat: 2--6-2007 Economic Forecast & Industry Outlook for California & Southern California including the National & International Setting. http://www.laedc.org/reports/Forecast-2006-07.pdf
Orange County 2007 Community Indicators. www.oc.ca.gov/ceocommunity.asp.
Tolkoff, Sarah. Manufacturing Jobs Steady, But Booms Likely Thing of Past. Orange County Business Journal. 16 April 2007. 4.