Los Angeles / Orange County Regional Consortium Public Sector Workforce Challenges & Opportunities July 18, 2007

Research Objectives Assess current and projected public sector workforce needs within the Los Angeles and Orange County region, with a focus on public administration and public utilities Develop and analyze indicators of potential shortages or gaps in occupational supply and demand Identify potential solutions to workforce challenges that can be addressed by the community colleges

Methodology Secondary Research of the Industry and Occupations Executive Interviews with Employers Telephone Survey of 150 Public Sector Employers  110 Public Administration Employers  40 Public Utility Employers  Fielded June 13 – 25, 2007

Public Sector Industry Definition Current Focus: Public Administration and Utilities

Profile of Employment: 2005 Within the region, over 212,000 workers are employed within Public Administration and Utilities

Employment Projections Replacement needs far outpace growth for both public administration and utilities employers 2005 Employment Expected Growth Next 12 Months Estimated Replacements Next 12 Months %#%# Public Administration193,2404.6%8,9008.7%16,840 Public Utilities18,9400.5%902.9%550 Public Sector: 10.3% job growth in the region  Orange County 18.8%, LA County 8.1% Private Utilities: 9.1% growth  Orange County 19.4%, LA County 6.2%

Promoting Practices For non-entry level positions, most employers either recruit from outside (35%) or strike a balance between recruiting from outside and promoting from within (37%) Public Utility employers were more likely to recruit from outside

Recruiting from Outside the Region 23% of employers always or frequently recruit employees from outside the Los Angeles/ Orange County region

Workforce Challenges

Formal Succession Plans On average, employers expect 8.5% of their public administration employees and 6.4% of their utility employees to retire over the next three years, representing 17,700 workers 39% of Organizations have formal succession plans in place

Recent Hires: General Skill Deficiencies Public Administration employers were more likely to mention general writing skills Public Utility employers were more likely to mention technical competence and ability to work independently

Occupational Assessment Categories Employer survey results: growth and difficulty hiring Projected job growth Projected replacements and separations

Occupations Assessment Water and Wastewater Operators Computer Analysts and Computer Support Specialists Supervisors/ Managers of Technicians & Maintenance Workers Program Analysts, including Staff Service Analysts Budget, Business and Financial Analysts Supervisors or Managers of Office and Admin. Support Workers Accountants or Auditors Power Plant Operators

Difficulty Finding Qualified Applicants Text

Projected Growth and Replacements

Difficulty Hiring and Growth Matrix Computer Analysts & Support Specialists Accountants Auditors Water and Waste Water Operators Computer Analysts & Support Specialists Purchasing Agents Supervisors: Office Support Workers Accountants Auditors Program Analysts Budget Analysts Supervisors: Maintenance Workers

Typical Education Requirements

Preference for Specific Associates or General Bachelors

Career Ladders

Interest in Community College Programs 71% of employers were interested in on-site customized training from community colleges

Interest in Joining Consortium 76% of employers would likely join a consortium where community colleges provide standardized training and workshops to public agencies

Conclusions I Consortium Training in a Competitive Environment Public Sector employers are more likely to recruit from outside (35%) than promote from within (24%) Over 2/3rds (71%) of PS employers were interested in on-site customized training for current employees Over ¾’s (76%) of PS employers indicated they were either very likely or somewhat likely to join a consortium training model Typically, cities are most likely the focus of consortium training but the significant need for water operators could provide an opportunity with Public Utilities

Conclusions II Employer Perception of Educational Degrees A majority of PS employers expected a Bachelor’s degree for 5 of the 8 occupations evaluated A general Bachelor’s degree is preferred over a specific Associate’s degree for half of the occupations “Writing skills” were most often cited as a deficiency among new hires and employers believed that is better taught in a 4 year degree There was generally a low level of awareness among PS employers about Associate degree and Certificate programs at the community colleges

Conclusions III According to PS employers, awareness of PS employment opportunities is low among current students and job seekers Communicate employment options to current students  Immediate employment out of the Community Colleges (Water Operator, Program Analyst)  Internship opportunities with PS employers while going to school  Advancement opportunities while working in the Public Sector and working towards a 4 year degree

Energy & Environment – Green Technology Definition & Sectors to Focus on Energy Production (Solar, Wind) Professional Services (Research & Design Svcs.) Transportation (Bio-fuels, Batteries) Water & Sewage Systems Manufacturing (Building materials) Waste Mgmt. & remediation services Building & Construction