Regional Economies Project
The California Regional Economies Project (Project) offers new insight into the dynamics of California's economy. Through a regional perspective, we are able to better understand how the economy is changing, where the changes are concentrated, and what catalysts and conditions are causing those changes. We can also see how change in one region affects other regions and the state as a whole.
This research project provides state and local economic and workforce development organizations with information about each regional economy and labor market in California. The Project is sponsored by the California Workforce Investment Board of the Labor & Workforce Development Agency, and implemented in partnership with the California Economic Strategy Panel, which manages the Project. Other partners include the Labor Market Information Division of the California Employment Development Department, which provides the employment and occupational data used by the Project, and in 2007, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, which will sponsor training workshops.
During 2006, the Project produced two industry cluster studies, California’s Golden Opportunity: Building a World-Class Infrastructure Through Innovation and Collaboration and California’s Food Chain at Work: Agriculture Production, Processing, Distribution & Support, a statewide and nine regional economic base reports, and an updated Clusters of Opportunity User Guide and related training workshops where regional teams of local practitioners were taught the project methodology. (See “Products” tab for access to all reports, studies and monographs.)
In 2007-2008, the Project will update the statewide and nine regional economic base reports and complete two in-depth studies. The first of the two studies will explore Global Economic Integration, expanding on findings from the recent studies on logistics, manufacturing and infrastructure value chains; the second will examine Clean Technology and the California Economy: Understanding the Industry Value Chain.
Also in 2007-2008, the Project will provide training workshops for local professionals and policy makers representing the California Community Colleges, Local Workforce Investment Boards, economic development organizations, the Labor Market Information Division (Local Labor Market Consultants), government and other organizations.