San Diego North Economic Development Council (SDNEDC) is an economic development organization that is focused on helping North County grow toward a more inclusive, thriving, and prosperous economy.  We measure our success in how residents can connect with increased employment opportunities that provide good wages, benefits, and a pathway toward prosperity.  Operating in the communities located north of State Route 56, we attempt to accomplish our mission in three core ways:

• Marketing North County as an attractive place to invest and grow private sector employment.
• Retaining and expanding employment opportunities at existing companies – helping them overcome challenges so they can continue to grow in North County.
• Connecting employers and educators so they can better understand workforce needs and educational capabilities so residents can gain the skills they need to succeed and thrive.

Under this third pillar – Connecting – one of the programs we are most excited about is Student Opportunities for Career Awareness and Learning (SOCAL) – a joint program with Tri-City Medical Center and six north county chambers of commerce.  Two years ago, SOCAL introduced its initial offering: an asynchronous learning platform (www.socalworkforce.org). This platform enables North County students to delve into various careers; hear directly from a diverse group of individuals about necessary job skills; learn about the paths those individuals took to their current positions; and discover the aspects of their jobs they value the most. The site currently hosts 107 videos from 30+ North County Employers.

SDNEDC and its partners have also invested resources in promoting the SOCAL program – reaching out directly to high schools and community colleges throughout North County and attending dozens of career and college fairs to promote the tool.  We have worked hard to recruit a diverse set of interviewees and feature many careers that do not necessarily require a 4-year degree.  It is important to grow an economy that works for as many people as possible, reflecting the diversity of North County. SOCAL represents those core priorities.

We continue to grow the library of careers featured and would love to work with North County Philanthropy Council members to feature additional occupations or to discuss ways to further expand the program.  Students need more resources to explore and understand the career options available to them. By providing a free asynchronous learning tool to students and districts, we are providing an avenue for students to engage in this learning at their convenience without being dependent on the schedule of a volunteer speaker.

Please reach out to SDNEDC’s CEO Erik Bruvold at ebruvold@sdnedc.org for more information.