Women, Millennials and military veterans will be the key to increasing San Diego’s economic growth in the coming decade, according to a report released Thursday.
The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce released a job strategy “dashboard” that highlighted untapped parts of the workforce during a time of low unemployment.
The dashboard, sponsored by the Bank of America, focused on three areas:
- Women: Compared to competing metropolitan areas, San Diego has the second lowest percentage of women in the workforce and the highest female unemployment rate.
- Millennials: Now the largest generation in the region’s workforce, they are relatively diverse which should be seen as a strength for employers.
- Veterans: Veterans gain many skills, traits, and attributes through their service which are valuable in the civilian workforce.
In the case of women, the report noted, their under-representation in the workforce is “an opportunity to unlock economic potential in our region by removing barriers for women to find success in the workforce.”
But the report also noted the challenge of expensive housing, with San Francisco, Austin and San Jose being relatively less expensive.
“Understanding the potential that exists in our region is key to designing policy that creates the best environment for businesses to succeed,” said Jerry Sanders, chamber president and CEO. “It’s our responsibility as business leaders and policy makers to recognize and capitalize on that potential and do all we can to bring as much opportunity to as many people in as many places across our county as possible.”
