Originally published July 2020 at https://www.ci.oceanside.ca.us.
The City of Oceanside is helping many of its residents land their next big opportunity through — a new program offering tuition-free courses for professional certificates at MiraCosta College.
“This is about filling local, in-demand jobs with our homegrown talent, right here in Oceanside,” said Economic Development Manager, Michelle Geller.
The timing couldn’t be more critical. More than 20 million Americans have lost their jobs in the wake of COVID-19. Millions more have recently graduated, and are struggling to enter a shrinking job market.
Here in Oceanside, plenty of companies are hiring. The challenge is that applicants often lack the required job skills. That’s precisely what Hire Local aims to fix.
“We’re filling that skill gap by aligning our local workforce with the local job demand,” Geller said. “Our residents are advancing their careers, while our local companies are gaining qualified employees. It’s a win-win situation.”
For many unemployed residents, Hire Local is a chance to pivot professionally — an opportunity to pick-up a whole new set of job skills. That sort of versatility is only expected to increase. In fact,Deloitte’s 2020 Global Human Capital Trends report found that 53% of surveyed businesses agreed that “between half and all of their workforce will need to change their skills and capabilities in the next three years.”
“As jobs evolve, job skills will need to evolve. We want to help our residents keep up with those changing demands, which is really at the heart of Hire Local,” Geller explained.
Though the program just launched last month, already dozens have taken advantage of the free-tuition training. Though the official completion rate of the program is still up in the air, Geller said there has been a tremendous level of interest.
What’s on the table
Hire Local offers seven tuition-free certificate programs for in-demand career paths, including:
Biomedical Equipment Technician, which is expected to see a 30% job growth nationally by 2022, according to MiraCostaCollege.
Computer Numeric Controlled Operator and Programmer, a career path that can lead to aerospace and biotechnology.
Electronic Assembly Technician, which is part of the communications industry that has seen a 19% job growth rate locally since 2011, according to the San Diego North Economic Development Council (San Diego North EDC).
Engineering Technician, which 58% of North County tech companies say they struggle to find, according to MiraCosta College.
Machinist Technology, which is part of the manufacturing industry that accounts for 69% of the emerging tech jobs in North County.
Phlebotomy Technician, which is part of the healthcare industry that has seen a 36% job growth rate locally since 2008, according to the San Diego North EDC.
Welding, which is part of the manufacturing industry that has seen a 27% job growth locally since 2012, according to the San Diego North EDC.
After residents earn their certificates, MiraCosta College will help residents identify Oceanside companies that can put their newly-acquired skills to use.
Six months into a successful employment at an Oceanside company, residents will get a $500 bonus from the City.
“I am heartened by the approach the City of Oceanside is taking in the delivery of education opportunities for its residents” said Linda Kurokawa, Executive Director or Community Education & Workforce Development for MiraCosta College, who helped shape the Hire Local program. “I hope more municipalities look to partner with education institutions like ours to facilitate economic development opportunities through education.”
For more information about the Hire Local program, contact Economic Development Manager Michelle Geller at mgeller@oceansideca.org or (760) 435–3351.