2025 FOW Part 2: Defining Resilience

Pam Sornson, JD on November 18, 2025

Each of the four panelists who shared their insights at the 7th Annual Future of Work Conference hosted by the Economic and Workforce Development Division of Pasadena City College (PCC EWD) brought unique perspectives to the question, “What is resilience?” The question arises literally from the ashes of LA County’s winter fires; in a region so recently scarred by flames and destruction, how does the community measure its subsequent forward progress? Considering both the past activities of the four panel members and their current occupations and roles, the responses were both informed and enlightening.

Defining ‘Resilience’

Monica Banken, policy director for LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, was first to offer her experience. In her work, she oversees county-based child, senior, and education services, so she was familiar with the front-line workers at those agencies. Despite the overwhelming need, she, her staff, and their service-providing constituents were able to assist fire victims in finding temporary shelter, food, and emergency medical help. She was very impressed by everyone’s resilience and was especially moved when the victims themselves became guides and helpers to those who were sharing their fate.
Kelly LoBianco, the Director of LA County’s Department of Economic Opportunity, watched the fires unfold through a longer lens, that of innovation and future development possibilities. Her attention was on existing services and how responsive they were in actual emergency conditions. She was impressed by the evolving innovations she was witnessing, as people ‘made do’ with what they had to accomplish tasks they’d never imagined. She can already see how those resilient efforts are paving the foundation for a safer future.
Anthony Cordova, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) Vice Chancellor for EWD, also saw innovation and expansion flowing through already existing services and practices. He was impressed by PCC’s resilience as a community leader when it became a functioning ‘crisis hub’ during the debacle. Not only was the school physically capable of handling large groups of people and services, but its leadership was also demonstrating the ability to think beyond ‘education’ in its role as a local college. As Mr. Cordova noted, “the colleges can be successful in this role of crisis hub coordination because ‘community’ is literally in their name!” The CCCCO is now assessing how the fire response revealed potential jobs and occupations that will need a well-trained workforce at some point in the near future.
Lizzy Okoro Davidson, the Director of Pasadena’s Women’s Business Center, was acutely aware of how much work her agency would have after the fires subsided. Estimates suggest that as many as 1,800 businesses were impacted by the Eaton and Palisades conflagrations, many of which will almost certainly be revived. Those business owners will need financial support, of course, but also the advice, leadership, and guidance provided by her agency. She expects to be pointing business owners toward available resources while also answering their questions about how to both rebuild and thrive into the future.

Seeing Bests and Barriers

When asked about what they saw during the calamity that went well – and what didn’t – the panelists again offered insights that can guide future decisions:

Bests:

LoBianco’s initial impression was that existing partnerships offered the best resources and options, as those agencies shared what they had and happily received what they were missing. She was especially appreciative of partners who stepped up when no other apparent resources were available. While waiting for state or federal aid, many organizations simply shared what they had with their neighbors and moved forward anyway. Fortunately, LA County’s long tradition of collaborative industrial growth had already set the stage for mutually beneficial activities even in disastrous times.
Cordova’s take was similar. As a collaborative agency, anyway, the CCCCO set up a ‘strike force team’ that intentionally sought out needed resources to which they had access. Sharing those with fire victims and the agencies serving them offered the opportunity to learn what other assets or strategies might be of benefit in future calamitous times. The data gathered is now informing the CCCCO’s efforts to create job training programs that will meet the needs of the future, fire-evolved business community.

Barriers:

Cordova and LoBianco also shared similar views on circumstances that were getting in the way of a resilient recovery:
  • Limited workforce development (WFD) funding: Too often, these opportunities are too restrictive to facilitate the resilient uses needed for today’s emerging WFD concerns.
  • Excessively high operating costs plague many of today’s training programs, putting them out of the reach of many would-be learners. Cordova pointed out that the ”High Roads Training Partners program was designed specifically to avoid the cost barrier, so its resources should be maximized post-fires.
  • Not least, the need to quell the professional ego would go far to alleviate unnecessary stress. Leaders need to focus on attaining specific outcomes with their efforts while allowing all participants to shine in their collective successes.

Seeking Equity in Recovery

The panel offered many comments about how the LA region can embrace new thought processes and imaginative solutions as it recovers from these fires and prepares for the next ones:
  • Banken is ‘amazed’ by the innovation she’s seeing around town. Formerly empty buildings are being repurposed to suit existing businesses that need new facilities, and those business owners are often innovating themselves to ensure their companies thrive beyond these fires. Collaborations between companies, agencies, and the public are also paying off, as traditional resources are applied in unique and different ways. She sees three specific developments that are showing promise:
  • There are apprenticeships available that have struggled to find takers. The fires—and the public reporting of newly identified assets—may make them more attractive to people who would not have considered them before.
  • The need for human services in the burned areas is also driving new business development. Child care centers, mental health counseling, after-school programs, etc., are all valuable assets lost to the flames.  Not only are they needed to support a thriving community, but they also need to be resilient and fluid in times of emergency.
  • Not least significant in the LA area are its artists and creatives. They, too, have lost their business, customer base, or, in some cases, both.
In all these circumstances, state and local agencies are available with resources and information to ensure all have what they need to rebuild.
The CCCCO is also working to ensure an equitable future for all its constituents. Cordova noted specifically the Equity Access and Vision 2030 programs which identify educational and career-focused resources for underserved populations. Using CCCCO data, these programs ferret out where inequities continue to impede progress and provide funding and other services to those who need more tailored support services to succeed academically.
LoBianco is also focused on future opportunities; her agency is running studies on the full economic impact of the fires, including their impact on minority and undocumented populations. They’ve already assisted over 2,300 companies that might have lost everything but for the support they’ve received from the LADEO.
Also of note, Davidson pointed out how many women are in business and how difficult it can be for them to receive an equitable share of the public services pie, especially in times of emergency. Her WBC is dedicated to providing a myriad of supports for women that address inherent inequities in public systems; the dearth of affordable child care is just one issue that affects women business owners more than male-owned entities.

In Conclusion:

California Assemblyman Mike Fong was proud to close out the event by praising PCC’s efforts during the fires and throughout the launch of the recovery phase. In his words, PCC presented a model of resiliency from being open to changing processes when that made sense, to utilizing school assets in decidedly non-academic ways. As one of the 116 community colleges in California, PCC is a leader in innovation and resilience, and will almost certainly use its recent experiences to develop new and improved workforce training opportunities and programs. As a public servant, Fong is also proud of the State’s efforts to develop Campus Development Zones that provide enhanced social and living supports in certain communities, making it easier for learners to achieve educational success. “[It’s these kinds of educational and governmental partnerships] that facilitate resilience and fluidity in difficult times. The colleges are fundamental to economic success because their constituents – the students – are the backbone of California’s workforce.”
As PCC’s 7th Annual Future of Work Conference came to a close, attendees left with confidence that leaders from all of the LA region’s industrial sectors were hard at work rebuilding from the fires, as well as hope for a brighter economic future built upon these strong and growing partnerships.

Initial Insights from the 7th Annual Future of Work Conference

Pam Sornson, JD on November 4, 2025

The 7th Annual Future of Work Conference, presented by the Economic and Workforce Development Division at Pasadena City College (PCC EWD), was definitely unique, as it explored the themes of resilience and recovery through the lens of LA’s recent wildfires. Speakers from local and regional government, higher education, and community services shared their experiences of those difficult days. Attendees heard how these entities came together in response to the fires, and had the opportunity to ask questions about next steps toward full recovery. Throughout the day, the conversation revolved around the trajectory of higher education in light of these types of threats, the realities of local communities, and possible occupational opportunities arising –  literally –  from the ashes.

This edition of the Pulse covers the conversation between City of Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo and Dr. Salvatrice Cummo, PCC Vice President, EWD, both of whom were on the front lines of the response effort when the Eaton fire overtook their neighboring community.

The ‘Fireside Chat’

   “What a Day!”

Mayor Gordo started the conversation by stating the obvious: January 7th, 2025, ‘was a PTSD-triggering kind of a day,’ as the fires erupted, then exploded across the Eaton community. Located just a few miles from the PCC campus, the Eaton Fire eventually consumed over 14,000 acres over the course of 24 days, and destroyed over 9,400 buildings. The Mayor was especially impressed and appreciative of PCC: “[The school] opened up a disaster center immediately, giving people a place to deliver their contributions of food, clothing, and other necessities.” He was also impressed by the systems that came together quickly in response to the conflagration: “Evacuations, temporary housing, medical care, and other essential services were open and available within 45 minutes of the announcement,” he noted, indicating the value and comprehensiveness of preparedness planning was paying off better than anticipated. Not only were the formal plans launched quickly, but the citizen response was equally impressive and perhaps enhanced because there were systems in place on the ground to receive those assets.

VP Cummo was also impressed by what she witnessed that day. As various support groups appeared on campus with resources to share, she was struck by the innately coordinated response of the official entities. “This was the first time that the school had to engage in these processes, so it was really impressive how smoothly our preparations met up with those of the official organizations.” Gordo was particularly pleased by PCC’s generosity with all of its assets. The Rose Bowl facility, for example, was designated as a staging/coordination area, while campus locations were used for other fire-related needs and purposes. Throughout that month, the PCC campus provided a central staging point for many of the disaster response activities.

  “Where are we now?”

As memories of the actual fires fade, their aftermath is revealing new opportunities to collaborate and learn:

  • Changing Course as Needed: The two leaders were uniform in their assessment of how systems have evolved since the fires were quelled. Each noted with pride how their respective agency constituents performed during the crisis, and also how those duties morphed to meet newly arising demands and needs. The fluidity of agency functioning was especially valuable, insofar as these were new circumstances for all involved.   
  • Adding Opportunities: Both entities also noted that the tragedy revealed opportunities for growth and further development. In some cases, fire recovery efforts have suggested new ways to do things or revealed gaps in existing systems.
    • The Mayor noted that his office is constantly identifying new skill sets for which they need workers, and that the fire calamity revealed more of those types of opportunities, too. He went further by stating those responding to the fires were also victims of it, whether they were directly impacted or were part of the response effort. Their experience is also significant in tailoring future response capacities to emerging demands.  
    • Dr. Cummo commented on the numerous educational sectors already available through its courses and pathways, and how those are already aligning with the City of Pasadena’s needs. She underscored the impact of safety and recovery occupations in disaster situations, and how PCC is working to fill job vacancies in these fields, too.
  • Assessing Complexities: Mayor Gordo noted for one questioner that, in addition to providing support for those who are recovering from the fires, they are also reaching out to those who’ve not been able to return to their ‘lives as usual.’ Many businesses, for example, have been unable to reopen for numerous reasons, leaving their owners and staff members without jobs. The Mayor and his staff are working to alleviate these challenges, while Dr. Cummo shared that the activities of PCC’s Small Business Development Center and its Women’s Business Center are helping business owners find resources that address their specific needs.

Together, the City and PCC agreed that, as a partnership, they can enhance the regional economic situation by developing and providing the jobs and careers needed by their shared communities. Joint investments in higher education options that upskill the workforce will pay off when ‘official’ entities – schools, colleges, elected officers, etc – share resources, information, and opportunities. Dr. Cummo urged her educational counterparts to partner with local governments as soon as possible, if they haven’t already. By building and maintaining trust and communications systems, schools and their local and regional communities will have a solid foundation on which to establish an emergency response strategy that serves both.

   And the future?

Both local leaders were also enthusiastic about the deepening relationship between PCC and the City of Pasadena, and how the Eaton Fire provided them another step forward together. Mayor Gordo emphasized that the pre-existing relationship between the school and the City ensured a smooth and effective collaboration during the fires – and beyond. “Our partnership has been strong for a long time, so our communications as the fires began were immediate and meaningful.” Dr. Cummo agreed, noting that the trust between the two entities enabled swift, comprehensive responses to those emerging concerns. “PCC can do more (for the City) as its partner than we can accomplish as an individual school.” According to both, the partnership will continue to evolve and deepen, as they each are intent on applying lessons learned from this calamity to future concerns.      

 

 

 

  

The Future of Work Conference Panelists Revealed

Pam Sornson, JD on October 21, 2025

On Tuesday, October 28th, from 8 am to noon, the Economic and Workforce Development Division of Pasadena City College (PCC EWD) is hosting its 7th Annual Future of Work Conference in Westerbeck Recital Hall on PCC’s beautiful campus. The subject matter this year impacts all Angelinos and residents of the greater LA region: “Mobilizing for Recovery and Regional Renewal.” Conference panelists will discuss how their agency is addressing the challenges posed to its particular sector by this year’s wildfire situation, whether that’s as a local policy director, economic advisor, or business liaison. Register here to ensure a ticket to the live event.

Panelists on the Front Lines of Fire Repair and Recovery

As always, the PCC EWD is honored to have so many highly qualified and knowledgeable speakers join its leadership in these discussions. The wildfires, to date, have caused the loss of over 16,000 structures, burned more than 57,000 acres, and driven insurance and capital losses to over $164 billion. Repairs and recovery won’t be fast but must be comprehensive if the region is to regain its former functionality (and natural glory). Accordingly, the panelists who will be sharing their expertise and activities are currently working directly on fire-related projects, rebuilding lost assets and recreating those that can’t be recovered.

And, as is usual for the Future of Work Conference, our speakers’ qualifications are stellar and formidable. They present an enlightened and informative perspective of where the LA region is now, its immediate response to the fires, and where and how it intends to move forward:

LA County:

Monica Banken, policy deputy for Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. Ms. Banken brings a highly sophisticated profile to the conversation. In her present role, she oversees policy implementations for social services, education, child and older adult welfare, film policy, and economic and workforce development. She is also Chair of the Legislative Outreach sub-committee for the LA Area Chamber of Commerce World Trade Week Committee, while also serving on the Boards of the LA Economic Development Corporation, Kollab Youth, and the South Bay Aerospace Alliance. Her voice carries a long distance.

Kelly LoBianco, Director, LA County Department of Economic Opportunity. Ms. LoBianco has shared her unique perspectives at previous PCC EWD conferences, bringing economic and financial insights to the challenges faced by today’s fraught industrial sectors. In her work with this agency, she steers economic development strategies that enhance opportunities for County and regional workers, small, medium, and large businesses, and (especially vital to PCC) the colleges that train local workforce participants. Her focus is on developing an equitable economy that provides a foundation for sustainable growth.

The Community Colleges:

Anthony Cordova, Vice Chancellor of Workforce and Economic Development for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. California’s 116 community colleges served over 2.1 million students in AY 2023-2024, most of whom were seeking well-paying jobs in growing industries. Mr. Cordova’s role as Vice Chancellor is to assist each of them in attaining that goal by building robust workforce development initiatives that provide the skills and abilities demanded by today’s complex business community. Mr Cordova brings his own unique skill set to the job, having developed Bakersfield College’s Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Automation. That success also led him to his roles as Chair of the California Community Colleges Baccalaureate Degree Program Steering Committee and as President-elect of the California Community College Association of Occupational Education.

Business Leadership:

Lizzy Okoro Davidson, Director of Pasadena Women’s Business Center. Ms. Davidson brings a wealth of business development talents to her inaugural role as director of this newly launched (2024) agency, an official Small Business Administration Resource Partner. As a business owner herself, she has created focused solutions for businesses of all sizes, from finding access to funding to scaling out operations. These focused activities enhanced her efforts to promote economic development practices through collaboration and advocacy, especially for women employees and entrepreneurs, who make up 47% of California’s workforce. In her role as Director of the Pasadena WBC, she and her team identify and break down barriers to success that currently impede the progress of women in the workplace.

The City of Pasadena:

Mayor Victor Gordo of Pasadena. Mayor Gordo has been focused for years on growing Pasadena’s economic success and has welcomed the opportunity to participate in several PCC EWD conferences and events. An immigrant from Mexico, Mayor Gordo’s lived experience mirrors that of millions of Angelinans: he worked where he could as a young man (delivering newspapers), then took on the double challenge of working and attending college, including completing law school at night. His tenacity in overcoming hurdles demonstrates his capacity for focus, intention, and doing what is necessary to find success. In addition to his work as Pasadena’s top civic leader, Mayor Gordo is also the General Counsel and Secretary-Treasurer of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 777, bringing his union development skills to the City’s leadership. A graduate of Pasadena City College himself, Mayor Gordo also brings his local perspective to this decidedly regional conversation.

Pasadena City College:

Pasadena City College Vice President, Economic and Workforce Development Division, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo. Dr. Cummo has been leading the PCC EWD since 2017 and was promoted in 2022 to Vice President of the EWD Division. She brings years of business development experience, from managing large retail stores to engaging in Chambers of Commerce activities to federal agency work as the Director of PCC’s Small Business Development Center, an affiliate of the Federal Small Business Administration. In that role, she was instrumental in helping entrepreneurs from all sectors achieve their dream of business ownership. Her appointment to the PCC EWD in 2017 expanded her acumen to include workforce development focused on building the well-trained, flexible labor force needed to support the region’s sustainable and equitable infrastructure. Dr. Cummo received her Ph.D. in Organizational Change from the USC Rossier School of Education.

The PCC EWD 2025 Future of Work Conference promises to be engaging, stimulating, and informative for all who attend. Please join us as we strategize the LA region’s next steps to economic and workforce success.

California: Repairing the Past. Preparing for the Future

Pam Sornson, JD on October 7, 2025

Wildfires and other environmental concerns continue to threaten the lives and livelihoods of California’s residents, communities, businesses, and industries. Throughout the State, organizations are coming together to respond comprehensively to the challenges, some being public agencies, others being private companies, foundations, and community groups. Coordinating the efforts of all is daunting but necessary for achieving ultimate success: a safer, more resilient neighborhood where losses due to any crisis are minimized and all who are affected are included in the rebuilding and recovery efforts.

Agencies on the Front Lines

Cal OEM

At the forefront of every responsive line of defense is California’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). This office watches over the whole of the state, assessing risks, vulnerabilities, and threats, and taking whatever actions are necessary under those specific circumstances. The OEM’s reach is long because California’s realities are unique:

  • Its population of more than 38 million people is the highest in the nation.
  • It encompasses the third-largest land area of all the states (163,695 square miles), behind Texas and Alaska.
  • Its inherent geography poses virtually every type of physical and geographical threat to its communities: earthquakes, floods, drought, and fires are both common and widespread throughout the state.
  • With the 4th largest economy in the world, the ‘Golden State’ also experiences its share of human-based threats, including public health emergencies, cyber attacks, economic upheavals, and more.

Responses to all of these concerns begin in the OEM, which assesses all incoming threats, develops appropriate response plans, and works to mitigate any potential damages that may occur.

Cal Fire

In constant collaboration with Cal OEM when fires occur is the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention (CAL FIRE). This state agency responds to all physical catastrophes, including fires, floods, hazardous materials spills, earthquakes, and more. It oversees fire responses for over 31 million acres of California property, both private and public, and its airborne resources can reach any corner of the State within 20 minutes. When not actively fighting flames, CAL FIRE also clarifies, develops, and delivers training to its responders, and sends out crews to reduce or prevent new fires from igniting. California has invested over $1 billion in its fire-fighting capacities, developing wildfire resilience to safeguard the State’s second most valuable asset: its land.

LA County OEM

In Los Angeles County, there’s a comparable series of disaster-based resources, developed to assess for, respond to, and mitigate damages caused by disasters, natural or otherwise. The LA County Office of Emergency Management maintains the County’s Emergency Operations Center (OEC), which operates 24/7, 365 days a year. The agency is also responsible for issuing alerts and warnings when disasters are imminent, and its team of Incident Commanders manages every incident that threatens health, life, or property within the County, seeking input and guidance from State and County officials.

The LA County OEM is also responsible for developing and managing the County’s overarching emergency management plans, including its Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan (OAEOP) and its County of Los Angeles All-Hazards Mitigation Plan.

California Community Foundation

Another partner in California’s disaster response network is the California Community Foundation (CCF). This non-profit agency focuses on responding to the human realities when calamity strikes, offering food, shelter, and other resources to those impacted by a fire, earthquake, or other disaster. Its capacity for community outreach is unsurpassed, as is evidenced by its success following the Eaton/Altadena/Pacific Palisades fires this past winter. In the six months following that conflagration, the CCF amassed over $100 million from more than 47,000 donors, all of which is dedicated to helping those who’ve lost everything as well as those who need short-term support as they pursue their own recovery. To support the ongoing recovery efforts in the LA area, the CCF has committed another $30 million to rebuild homes, apartments, and other civic resources lost to the flames in January 2025. In addition to inputs from State and County-based agencies, the CCF also conducted a 2,000-person survey of Eaton fire survivors to clarify precisely what they need in its aftermath. This information will assist in developing resources to meet those immediate needs and also provide a foundation for strategies to reduce these losses or suffering when the next catastrophe hits.

Eaton Fire Survivor Network

Rising from the ashes of the Eaton fire itself is this small agency populated completely by survivors of the January 2025 fires. This 8,000+ member group collectively experienced some of the worst losses possible – their homes, their livelihoods, their pets, and sometimes, their family members. Launched as the fires erupted on January 7th, 2025, the WhatsApp message board of the Altadena Town and Country Pickleball Club announced that there was a ‘fire on the mountain’ that instantly leveraged the power of the community to fight the flames or save the neighborhood. After the fires subsided, the EFSN developed its three pillars of guidance and actions:

  1. Connecting survivors to vital resources – Every member benefits from the resources shared in the group’s 50+ “Discord” channels, whether those are informational, economic, or some other form of support. Since many share the same types of losses, these channels guide them directly to the supplier they need.
  2. Ensuring the voice of the survivor is heard – The group learned early on that facts matter when response decisions are being made. The EFSN has placed more than 350 survivor accounts in news stories to inform the public of what they went through and what and why they need more now. Their firm belief is that their presence is making the recovery fairer for everyone.
  3. Ensuring that insurance payouts are timely and accurate – Sadly, even after all these months, as much as 70% of all insurance claims made in response to the fires have been imappropriately delayed or denied. Coalitions developed within the group now take on these claims, helping individual families navigate systems and survive the process.

You can hear about or from these agencies directly as they share their information at Pasadena City College’s 7th Annual Future of Work Conference, Tuesday, October 28th, on the PCC campus (register here). By working together to resolve losses and build resilience on every level of civic activity, Los Angeles City, County, and surrounding communities stand a better chance of surviving the next crisis event and thriving in its aftermath.

Disaster Recovery as a Motivator: Building a Resilient Community

Pam Sornson, JD on September 16, 2025

Tuesday, October 28th, marks the 7th anniversary of Pasadena City College’s (PCC) Future of Work Conference (FOW), presented by its Division of Economic and Workforce Development (EWD). Perhaps not surprisingly, the theme this year focuses on educational and community resilience in the face of disaster and catastrophic loss.

With the City of Pasadena on the front line of the recent Eaton wildfire, its constituents are dealing daily with the fallout from the conflagration. Traditionally stable supply lines are stressed as more people vie for those (often limited) resources, while support services often lag in terms of the personnel and funding available to meet fire survivor needs. In total, it’s estimated that the economic losses to the region could be as much as $250 billion, while the costs to rebuild are, as yet, indeterminable.

At this year’s FOW conference, PCC EWD leaders are inviting their friends, colleagues, and industry partners to discuss how community colleges can drive recovery and economic renewal after calamity strikes. Their fundamental premise: California’s community colleges are uniquely situated to provide guidance, personnel, and resources in times of catastrophe to avoid and/or reduce losses and speed the repair and recovery processes.

Education as Economic Foundation

At the heart of the PCC EWD conversation is the value of education and how it elevates a community’s profile and experience. Obtaining a quality education is typically fundamental to achieving success at the individual, local, national, and even international levels. A ‘general’ education facilitates a person’s participation in the various aspects of ‘community’: political, social, and economic, among others. Advanced education, including Certifications, Associates, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and higher degrees, adds to economic strength by enhancing innovation and entrepreneurship at the regional, state, and national levels. In most cases, the benefits (usually always) significantly exceed the costs and tribulations involved in attaining a higher educational milestone:

  • Individuals benefit from achieving higher educational goals because they increase their earning capacity over the course of their lifetime. Average weekly earnings for high school graduates average ~$700, while those with associate’s degrees earn ~$1,050. Professional degrees support average weekly earnings (in 2023) of ~$2,200.
  • Regions benefit from having a well-educated community because that status also typically reduces unemployment rates. Globally, regions with lower education achievements for those aged 24-35 have an average of 40% unemployment rates, while those with large populations of college-level graduates experience an unemployment level of 15% or less. High unemployment rates increase community costs by reducing consumer spending and lowering wages. At the same time, they divert public dollars from community projects to support the burgeoning demand for social aid and services.
  • Countries benefit from a well-educated populace because their industrial sectors are more productive and efficient than those with lower average educational attainment. Higher industrial productivity typically translates into a stronger national economy. That elevated productivity also typically translates into a stronger competitive capacity on the global economic front, too.

The positive outcomes experienced by communities that invest heavily in their education systems are also notable:

  • Socially, they experience stronger civic engagement, including higher rates of volunteerism, active engagement in social activities, and more apparent and vocal resistance to unpopular policies.
  • Governments that support high educational standards generally also experience higher quality government performance. Further, leadership groups populated by highly educated people typically achieve better legislative and development outcomes than those with less educated administrations.
  • Economically, educated communities do better than their poorer neighbors. Communities with high education attainment levels frequently have higher gross domestic product (GDP) data, lower unemployment levels, and lower levels of poverty and inequality. At the same time, they typically also enjoy higher annual revenues and experience higher levels of innovation and entrepreneurship, as well.

The PCC EWD FOW Focus: Resilience

An undercurrent running through all the aforementioned information is that those data points were gathered when systems – industrial, government, community – were functioning well and operating as expected. Those systems, however, weren’t designed to be responsive when a catastrophe hits, and the consequences of that lack of strategy are often painfully apparent in the depth, breadth, and scope of the damages that are caused.

Instead, the PCC EWD FOW theme proposes that resiliency, response, and recovery be built into today’s educational systems (at all levels) as a natural part of their subject matter. The theme supposes that disasters, natural and otherwise, will be forever on the horizon, so why not develop the necessary response processes and procedures before those needs become imperative? As with the development of every curriculum and program, designing a comprehensive and effective disaster recovery (DR) strategy requires collaboration and input from a variety of sources, which is precisely what the PCC EWD FOW intends to convene.

PCC EWD is inviting a myriad of professionals to share their perspective through this increasingly critical lens:

  • Emergency management practitioners will be well represented. State officials from regional disaster services agencies, as well as the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), are invited to share their insights and discuss their priorities.
  • Other regional service providers will be on hand, to discuss their participation in disaster response and recovery. Infrastructure repair, utility support, public health, logistics, and transportation are all impacted when calamity happens – how can those systems be better prepared for the next ‘big one’?
  • Businesses and industries will also be represented, as those typically bear a significant amount of the stress caused in a disaster situation.

The fundamental belief of the conference is that a community that strategizes responses to economic growth and almost inevitable catastrophe is better prepared to expand the first and withstand the second. Through this FOW conversation, PCC EWD intends to develop tools, understandings, partnerships, and resources that will facilitate enhanced resilience when – not if – another disaster approaches Southern California.

A New Opportunity? Community Colleges in Times of Disaster

Pam Sornson, JD on September 2, 2025

California’s 116 community colleges (CCCs) comprise the largest collaborative education system in the country. They serve over two million learners each year. Their alumni are responsible for over $100 billion in annual income generation, as well as over 1.3 million jobs. As the State focuses on recovery following years of wildfires, drought, social unrest, and other calamities, schools are considering assuming an additional role: serving as disaster response and recovery centers. The benefits offered by the cooperative are many – their collective presence across the State and their individual proximity within each community can each be leveraged to accomplish two parallel goals:

  • As individual schools, they can target specific supports relevant to the particular concerns that arise within their region, and
  • Together, they can also be the foundation for a state-wide, reliable, and strategic system of responses and resources to whatever is next on the disaster calendar.

The Economic and Workforce Division of Pasadena City College (PCC EWD) is focusing on this prospect as it plans its 7th annual Future of Work Conference, scheduled for Tuesday, October 28, 2025. On that day and in conjunction with regional leaders, agency partners, and community collaborators, PCC EWD leadership will explore how community colleges can drive recovery and economic renewal after the worst-case scenario occurs.

The California Community Colleges and Economic Development

The Office of the Chancellor of the CCCs (the CCCCO) is responsible for coordinating and reporting on the efforts undertaken both across its school system and in alliance with state law and policy. It launched its Economic and Workforce Development program in 1991 to ensure that its programs and opportunities tied into the State’s vision for global competitiveness and economic growth. With its focus on training, job-related education, and support services that meet every student’s needs, the CCC system collaborates with labor, business, and industry groups to connect coursework to careers and learners to lifelong occupational success. To date, the organization has seen significant success with more than 70% of its graduates finding work in their chosen field of study.

Over the years, the CCC EWD program has evolved to meet even more civic and academic needs as social, political, and educational demands required. In 2021, the CCCCO restructured its EWD program to align its schools with regional goals and local needs, thereby tailoring their academic offerings to supply close-to-home businesses with the trained workforce they need. The project created eight regions within the State, each populated with the colleges that fell within those boundaries. Each region then generated a ‘Regional Consortia’ – an ‘RC’ – of its CCC members, which is tasked with developing the most advantageous and optimal workforce development capacities needed within their geographical footprint. Each RC is responsible for determining its area priorities, managing state and federal funds, and partnering with the industries and entities that make up the regional economic backbone. By combining the assets and capacities of schools, businesses, industry leaders, and governmental entities, the RCs can structure local and regional educational resources to address specific industry and community demands as they arise. Because of their size and complex individual economies, Los Angeles (LA) and Orange Counties (OC) are separate regions in and of themselves. The LA Regional Consortium – LARC – is one of the entities housed within PCC EWD.

Further, each region was evaluated to establish its ‘Top Priority Sectors,’ those business and industry hubs that are most prevalent in their area and that are designed to maximize the assets specific to the region. LA and OC share the same six Priority Sectors:

  • Advanced Transportation,
  • Business and Entrepreneurship,
  • Construction and Utilities,
  • Energy,
  • Health, and
  • Information and Communication Technologies.

The RC funding received by the CCCs is used to develop and implement training programs and initiatives that support their priority sectors.

The depth, breadth, and connectivity of the CCC network make it, as a whole, one of the State’s most valuable assets. With its educational, occupational, and industrial framework in place, the network is uniquely suited to pivot – as it did because of COVID-19 – in response to California’s most pressing current concern, which, at this moment in time, is coordinating its disaster recovery (DR) efforts across the State.

The CCCs DR Capacities

While still emerging, the strategy of coordinating the CCCs into regional DR centers will follow standards set out by California’s emergency management system. This system is built on four foundational concepts: communication, coordination, continuity, and collaboration. As has been noted, the CCC system is already adept at these activities. Adding ‘DR-based’ capabilities to each of the schools will deepen the connection between each school and its neighbors, as well as provide California with a state-wide network of DR operators and resources. For the students, the DR-focused curricula will offer new occupational choices, most (if not all) of which will be in high demand as political and environmental issues continue to roil.

As a starting point for these new educational pathways, the CCCCO and its schools might focus on developing four priority trajectories, each of which addresses a single element of the DR process:

  • Disruption assessment – Every calamity causes a unique set of damages and threats, all of which require assessment and measurement to determine appropriate responses.
  • Role identification – The LA region has 10,000,000 people and 88 cities, so there is already an abundance of resources (probably) available to choose from in terms of who’s going to do what. The challenge will be determining who is best suited to assume responsibility for each task and obligation.
  • Objective prioritization – The size of each region’s population and geographical footprint, combined with the specific disaster at hand, will determine which actions should occur first, get the most funding, or receive the most resources. Each school can host a panel of experts to make these decisions based on its locality.
  • Relief programming – The people at risk during a disaster are in immediate need of resources, including shelter, food, safety, and healthcare support. The local community college can serve as a physical hub for these resources, as well as a place to find other, less imperative services.

California has suffered through decades of natural and man-made disasters, so it already has resources and assets aligned to respond quickly regardless of the nature of the threat. Integrating DR coursework and programming into each Community College’s curricula and across the network of CCCs can only enhance its ability to mitigate loss and achieve a faster, more comprehensive recovery, regardless of where, how, and when the threat arises.

Resiliency, Climate Change, and CA Community Colleges

Pam Sornson, JD on August 19, 2025

Those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it, so the adage says. The State of California has made it policy to learn from its past experiences. It is intentionally building resources and systems that reduce or eliminate the risks that have caused damage to it and its residents in years past.

Climate change is the biggest instigator of these ‘repair and recover’ efforts. In the past five years, the State has experienced no less than 70 environmental catastrophes, all of which were driven by the planet’s changing climate and weather patterns. In response, Governor Newsom launched his ‘Request for Innovative Ideas‘ initiative and its companion ‘Innovation Procurement Sprint‘ process early in his first term. These two efforts combine to attract and engage the State’s best innovators and entrepreneurs to collaborate on solutions to climate change-induced threats and challenges.

Further, in addition to private sector contributors, the Governor has also enlisted the resources and support of California’s 116 Community Colleges (CCC) to contribute their particular capacities to the endeavor. The colleges present a series of unique and sometimes conflicting realities:

  • They contribute to the environmental challenges caused by climate change. The campuses occupy thousands of acres of public lands and operate in hundreds of buildings, all of which were designed and built using ‘legacy’ systems. Their physical footprints often generate the same types of pollutants and toxins as other built regions, from standard garbage and waste to excess exhaust of petroleum-based fuels such as natural gas.
  • At the same time, they also have the resources needed to combat the climate change concern. Collectively, the schools register over two million students each year, and, in many cases, they are an employment and cultural anchor in their local community. The schools provide instruction, guidance, and direction to those millions of learners, and can offer training and courses in almost any discipline that has a comparable workforce demand.

Because of these unique realities, and combined with their locations in all corners of California, the CCCs also offer a unique opportunity to design and implement climate-forward policies that can and will impact the entire state.

The good news is that the California Community College Chancellors’ Office (CCCCO) recently announced its intent to achieve exactly that. In July 2025, the CCCCO presented its ‘CCC Climate Action Framework‘ as the foundation for its effort to both reduce the impact of climate change on California while also building a ‘blue and green’ workforce to drive that future economy. By doing so, the agency has declared its place as a leader in combating climate change, and its intent to use its resources to reduce that impact while improving the lives and economies of all Californians.

The Framework fits neatly into the CCC’s Vision 2030, a 2023 ‘Roadmap for California Community Colleges’ presented by the CCC’s Board of Governors. Updated in July 2025, Vision 2030 embeds equity into every CCC project while also advancing its whole-system approach to enhancing California’s unique economic opportunities.

The CCC Climate Action Framework (CCC CAF)

The CCC CAF initiative seeks to accomplish several goals:

  • To transform the CCC corps into a unified network of expertise and resources working toward resiliency, sustainability, and climate justice for all state residents.
  • To develop climate-focused standards and practices that will facilitate a cleaner environment in all regions in the State, regardless of the type of climate challenge they may face.
  • To build a workforce capable of managing existing and emerging climate-control assets and systems, thereby ensuring not just a healthier community but also a healthier economy for all.

The CCC CAF strategy draws on all of the CCCs’ assets, bringing together experts in education, science, policy, and industry to craft a one-of-a-kind yet fluid model for resisting and managing the damages caused by weather and climate-related disasters. Its four populations reflect its focus on advancing each school’s resources to address the full parameters of climate action and mitigation drivers:

Climate Fellows: These education professionals are CCC leaders from all 116 schools. They will focus on four pillars of activity within each region to knit together optimal teams for climate action. The teams will address:

  • student and community engagement;
  • campus facilities and operations;
  • workforce development for green (land) and blue (water) economies, and
  • climate literacy development throughout course curricula.

Climate Corps Fellows: These four individuals are already at work, conducting a comprehensive analysis of the CCC’s combined sustainability efforts. Their focus is to identify and understand how each school manages its energy, water supply, waste, and procurement practices to develop a system-wide image of CCC environmental activities. Once complete, the analysis will inform future alignment across the school corps with statewide climate goals.

Student Climate Fellows: This group will consist of students from all 116 schools, those who are passionate about climate change as a unique challenge and who will work to achieve positive changes on their individual campuses through one of three focus areas: campus facilities, campus outreach, or student activities and clubs. As a unified entity, they will share resources and insights to develop scalable projects that advance not just their climate-focused effort but also the larger goals of Vision 2030.

Climate Ambassadors: Comprised of both academics and industry experts, these professionals will be informing the CCCCO about promising strategies and practices as those develop around the state. As a think-tank, the group will offer recommendations as to how the CCCs can add resources to California’s ongoing climate awareness and sustainability efforts. As an advisory entity, the Ambassadors will be influential on CCC climate efforts across all disciplines of the overarching CCC CAF.

The CCCCO considers the CCC CAF to be a ‘distributed leadership model’ that spreads the focus, effort, and investment in climate-facing issues across the entire state through its network of community colleges and their local and regional partners. By embedding the personnel and workload within each school, the CCCCO is ensuring not only that California’s colleges are well prepared to address the challenges wrought by climate concerns but also that the State develops the workforce needed to effectively approach and manage climate and weather-related issues as they arise.

 

California’s weather realities over the past five years have clearly demonstrated that the state, as a whole, needs to shift how it addresses climate change. In conjunction with the Governor’s office, the state’s network of community colleges is now leading the effort to reduce or eliminate climate-induced threats to its environment and populations. Considering the depth and scope of its calculated CCC CAF strategy, the CCCCO is demonstrating that it has learned from the past and will not be unprepared for an uncertain climate future.

 

Upskilling California

Pam Sornson, JD on August 5, 2025

Californians aren’t new to disaster. Just in the past five years, the State has experienced over 70 significant calamities, including wildfires, earthquakes, storms, landslides, and floods. While each incident costs the state millions (sometimes billions) in recovery funding, collectively, the events build a strong case to develop a more resilient and sturdy infrastructure that can better withstand these onslaughts.

An enhanced, more pliable infrastructure is Governor Newsom’s plan, too, which he initiated on his very first day in office. Back in 2019, he announced that ’emergency preparedness’ was the top goal for his administration, and that he would prioritize the statewide development and implementation of disaster response and recovery systems. In the intervening years, Newsom has been true to his word, and California is now heavily invested in reconfiguring its foundations and systems to better manage whatever cataclysm Mother Nature chooses to throw at it next.

Newsom’s Executive Order N-4-19

As evidence of his intent, Newsom’s Executive Order N-4-19 (EO4) directs the State to revise its approach to potential threats, with the intent to improve both its preparedness and response capacities.

This directive is extraordinary in that it mandates a complete overhaul of the process for how California procures services and achieves goals. Newsom pivoted away from following the traditional path of selecting, then ordering specific assets to apply to a specific problem. Instead, he proposed a new procurement method: the ‘Request for Innovative Ideas‘ approach – RFI2. Rather than determine and request tools to achieve a well-defined end goal, the State now asks its innovators and entrepreneurs to suggest options and opportunities that state staff may not think of or even have reason to know about. By engaging the imagination and drive of its creative community, the Governor’s Office is leveraging perhaps California’s greatest asset as it explores how to achieve state goals that benefit the most residents.

The definition of its ‘creative community’ is also telling: Newsom’s EO 4 invites public and private entities, academics, business leaders, social agencies, and scientific organizations to provide input and guidance on proposed projects before the State commits to spending any tax dollars. The focus on collaboration is key, allowing contributions to any project by almost any sector that might have ‘skin in the game’ of that particular proposition.

Since its inception, the RFI2 process has evolved into an iterative procurement strategy, the ‘Innovation Procurement Sprint (IPS).’ Its initial iteration, launched in 2019 by the Department of General Services (DGS) and the CA Department of Technology (CDT), asked the collective to weigh in on solutions to the State’s ongoing wildfire crisis. (The strategy predated the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.) An early success was the implementation of wildfire monitoring cameras that became operational in time for the 2020 wildfire season.

Since then, California’s public and private entities have utilized the RFI2 and IPS strategies to address some of the State’s most notable concerns:

  • A collaborative developed to address Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) customer complaints about delays stemming from the Federal REAL ID Act and its mandate that all drivers in the nation obtain a “Real ID” in time for its May 2025 deadline. The ‘DMV Strike Team’ devised several responses to the complaints, including enhanced online application services, digital credit card payment options, the development of a ‘virtual field office,’ and a mobile driver’s license opportunity.
  • The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFIRE) pursued several IPSs to achieve numerous goals and initiatives:
    • It leveraged advanced data modeling to predict the geographical locations that have the highest risk for wildfire starts.
    • It adopted “LiDAR” to generate 3D maps of high-risk wildfire areas, giving firefighters better tools to use when fighting a conflagration;
    • It utilized drone technology to achieve several firefighting objectives, including aerial ignition for prescribed burns and real-time assessments of actual fires.
  • The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) used the IPS strategy to streamline its processes and improve its efficiency. The effort has reduced administrative costs of tax collections by 24% since 2019, without also reducing the tax revenues collected.

Notably, a subsequent Newsom EO – Executive Order N-12-23 – directed the use of the IPS strategy for the development of several statewide initiatives.

  • The management of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) within the State government. Engaging at least three state agencies [the Government Operations Agency (GovOps), the DGS, and the CDT], the EO has, thus far, facilitated:
    • Implementation of safety procedures to ensure the responsible use of GenAI assets by State agencies;
    • Implementation of a Project Delivery Lifecycle (PDL) process to speed up the approval process for Gen AI projects, and
    • The expansion of the digital asset procurement process to include non-GenAI options.
  • The enhancement of human resources initiatives. In conjunction with CDT, DGS, and the State Personnel Board (SPB):
    • The Department of Human Resources (CalHR) was directed to modernize state hiring, retention, and administrative practices.
    • The CDT was directed to modernize its state-owned vehicle procedures, as well as establish a marketplace for enhanced business tools, including GenAI tools.
    • The DGS was directed to ease administrative burdens by streamlining procurement practices and approval processes for Inter-Agency Agreements.

More recent RFI2s seek assistance in developing systems that help individuals with limited English proficiency and in developing tools that accurately document the findings of healthcare facility inspectors.

As of the date of this publication, California reports more than 60 open “State of Emergency” proclamations, which include the recent LA fires, as well as the storms, floods, and droughts of the past few years. Utilizing the RFI2 and IPS strategies, California is now accessing the full scope of its natural assets – its creative and innovative residents – to comprehensively address these concerns using the best possible tools and procedures. Hopefully, the resulting ‘industrial resiliency strategy’ will prove beneficial, and future challenges, which are certain to occur, will not result in the same level of loss and damage as the State has experienced in the past.

LA’s Construction Industry Evolves 

Pam Sornson, JD on July 15, 2025

Some industries never grow old. While the horse-and-buggy sector faded away decades ago, its replacement—the auto industry—continues to flourish and expand. Likewise, the construction industry continues to evolve as new materials, strategies, and capabilities are integrated into its foundational activities. As the Los Angeles region recovers from the January 2025 fires, it is also deeply invested in building out its infrastructure to meet the demands of the 2028 Olympics. Consequently, the demand for skilled construction workers continues to grow, as more skills are added and more projects are scheduled.

Construction Bolstered by Federal Investments

Unlike the rest of the world, America’s construction industry has remained more resilient post-COVID than most other countries:

  • In China, the building trades remain sluggish as the Government reduces its investments in infrastructure assets. A downturn in the property market sector and growing national debt also contribute to the lethargy.
  • In Europe, economic pressures across the region appear to be dampening industrial optimism:
    • In Germany, both commercial and housing project numbers have dropped precipitously as costs continue to rise.
  • In New Zealand, rising interest rates and higher materials costs add industry burdens on top of the country’s already weak overall economy.

While the U.S. also suffers from these specific industrial challenges, it has also seen significant increases in resources for primarily commercial construction projects, driven largely by federal investment spending. Between April 2020 and July 2024, financial infusions into the sector increased by 41% over the previous period, as economic stimulus funding was released. The $52.7 billion CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS), the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and an additional $369 billion for climate and energy from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) all combined to provide builders of all sizes with the resources needed to maintain and grow their market share.

The extra cash American builders received from the Government provided more than just added supplies, however. Perhaps the most important asset attained by those funds was the capacity for flexibility in the face of industrial challenges. Many companies shifted their activities to new markets and regions, while others added residential projects to their primarily commercial asset base, or vice versa. Perhaps the most significant gain was the opportunity for each building enterprise to be truly innovative in its projects. Of the global (non-governmental) investments in construction innovation during that four-year period, approximately 80% were invested in American projects, providing the country with an additional boost to its construction industry evolution.

California’s Construction Industry Evolutions

California has embraced all existing and emerging opportunities to expand its construction capabilities, adding resources and capacities to its already burgeoning foundation. The State has allocated $180 billion of its own money toward construction development over the next ten years. The statewide industry generated $158 billion just in 2023, alone, and the value of its construction industry revenues is projected to reach $172 billion by the end of this year. While much of that investment will be to recover infrastructure lost to fires, floods, drought, etc, California is also investing heavily in innovations and new construction opportunities:

Clean Energy

Climate change is a driver of some of the State’s most severe disasters, including the January fires. To reduce its contribution to that threat, California is investing heavily in clean energy sources, which is boosted considerably by over $1.6 billion in private investment. The clean energy strategy not only promises a cleaner environment but also generates jobs and millions of dollars in personal, regional, and state revenues. As of the end of 2024, California had over half a million workers (544,600) in the clean energy sector (representing a growth factor of 4.1% over 2023), which employed seven times more energy workers than the State’s fossil fuel industry.

Transportation Infrastructure

California’s population of almost 40 million people (39.43 M) needs transport to get around, and the State’s reliance on the auto industry is contributing to its climate change problem. Consequently, the Government is investing in low-emission transportation systems to offer options to the car that are equally effective in moving people around the State:

California High Speed Rail (CHSR)

The State’s HSR initiative will deliver an electric high-speed rail system to connect its ‘mega-regions,’ such as LA to San Francisco, as well as add transport options through the Central Valley, the Kern Valley, and even, eventually, to Las Vegas. Launched in 2022, the strategy has already created over 14,000 jobs, with a workforce primarily comprised of small businesses that hire workers from disabled or disadvantaged populations.

LAX

Coming in at #11 globally, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is one of the most traveled airports in the world, and as such, it has experienced a significant level of wear and tear. Accordingly, California is using its own funds and part of its IIJA federal funding to upgrade this critical element of Southern California’s transportation network. At an overall cost of $30 billion, the City of Los Angeles has allocated $5 billion of its own funds to the project as well. Engineers designed the project to address the most challenging aspect of the airport’s current configuration: congestion – on the horseshoe loop, within terminals, and on the airfield. In February 2025, LA City leaders approved its 5-year contract with preapproved engineers and professionals, many of whom are smaller businesses that employ thousands of local workers.

Technology Infrastructure

One glaring concern that came to light because of the region’s recent wildfires is the absence of reliable communications systems in rural and remote areas. Failed power lines and a dearth of internet towers left thousands of people facing the most difficult challenge of their lives having no contact with the outside world. In response, California has invested billions of dollars building a 3,000-mile “Middle Mile Internet” complex that reaches all 58 counties and includes 10 Tribal partnerships and engagements. The finished infrastructure will provide high-speed internet service to millions of people living outside typical urban cities. In addition to facilitating a safe and reliable communications grid where none had previously existed, the technology infrastructure will also support millions, or even billions of dollars of economic growth and development in less populated areas.

Obviously, the true benefit of all this investment in infrastructure is the economic growth it generates for the region. As LA recovers from the fires and prepares for the Olympics, its citizens are finding more work options and better-paying jobs in industries that promise a long and fulfilling career. The construction sector is one of these industries and its activities promise to support the growth and evolution of the LA region for decades to come.

Construction + Clean Energy = Workforce Development

Pam Sornson, JD on July 1, 2025

As has been noted, even disasters can stimulate growth, both economically and industrially. California’s focus on clean energy initiatives has already laid the groundwork for new building and construction practices that promise to reduce greenhouse emissions, enhance resiliency, and drive workforce development. The post-fire recovery process presents a unique opportunity to incorporate these clean energy options into rebuilding projects, ensuring that future communities won’t suffer similar losses when the next fire occurs (which it almost certainly will).

 

California Energy Commission Coordinates Sector Initiatives in Clean Energy

The California Legislature established its Energy Commission (CEC) to oversee the transition of its economic drivers to clean energy sources. Set up in 1975, the CEC initially addressed the fuel availability, smog, and air pollution issues that were then plaguing the nation. As it has evolved over the decades, it is now focused on achieving its assigned goal of carbon neutrality and 100% clean energy sources for all industries by mid-century. The bold goal should be attainable, judging by the individual initiatives pursued by the Commission:

The transportation sector has received particularly focused attention through the CEC’s Clean Transportation Program (CTP). State policy recognizes the connection between petroleum fuels and climate change, so it is modifying its energy usage to reduce or eliminate the threats posed by that man-made phenomenon.

The CTP focuses on attaining and implementing ‘zero-emission transportation technology’ to reduce that State’s contribution to climate change through the development of both zero-emission vehicles and the infrastructure that will support them. These projects span the entire State and encompass all industries; thus far, no state or national emergency has diverted California from its intended path to 100% clean, green energy. Established in 2008, the CTP has recently been extended through 2035.

Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV)

Managed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the ZEV program aims to reduce carbon-based emissions and pollutants from both passenger and freight vehicles in the State. In addition to environmental safety, the CARB has also incorporated equity initiatives into its 2024 Action Plan, recognizing that more vulnerable populations are often forced (by a lack of other resources) into older, less energy-efficient cars. CARB’s strategy toward cleaner, more efficient vehicles continues to evolve. Its Advanced Clean Cars II effort will see even more pollutant reductions beginning in 2026, when requirements for increased ZEV production go into effect and standards for gasoline-powered cars become even more stringent.

ZEV Infrastructure

In early 2024, the CEC approved a $1.9 billion investment in a plan to accelerate the states’ burgeoning ZEV infrastructure build-out. Between 2024 and 2029, California will invest $1.9 billion in the development and installation of 40,000 new ZEV charging stations, bringing it closer to its goal of 250,000 publicly accessible chargers across the State, from border to border. The agency is especially attentive to building out these resources in lower-income and marginalized communities to ensure they don’t continue to bear the burden of excessive car and truck pollution. So far:

  • Of the 96 public hydrogen fueling stations planned, 61 are in use today.
  • A $100 million allocation is dedicated to developing 120 truck and bus charging stations.
  • More than 40 ZEV-related manufacturing projects are opening new training opportunities and jobs to support local, regional, and statewide economic growth.

 

The CEC and Workforce Development

Not surprisingly, the CEC is as focused on the workforce development aspects of its projects as it is on their outcomes. The California Climate Investments (CCI) initiative is responsible for building the workforce necessary to advance the State’s clean energy industries. Through public and private partnerships, the agency works with businesses and higher education facilities to develop training programs that are relevant to these emerging industries. Two notable efforts relate directly to two of California’s now critical concerns: wildfire resilience and support for priority (underserved) populations.

Wildfire Fuels Reductions

The CCI awarded funding to the California Conservation Corps (CCC) to manage its wildfire resiliency projects across the State. These youth workforce development programs provide young adults with exposure to the factors that cause and exacerbate fires, as well as the skills necessary to mitigate or eliminate those circumstances, thereby reducing the likelihood and/or severity of fires that do occur. For example, the CCC Chico Center provided over 2,700 hours of labor toward fire resiliency in the Paradise community, which was devastated by the 2018 Camp Fire, leaving almost the entire area destroyed. The cost of the CCC program to reduce dangerous fire fuels in this rural region (thereby also reducing the likelihood of another fire) between October 2023 and April 2024 was a mere $108,744. The cost of the Paradise fire damage, however, approached $16.5 billion.

ZEV Workforce Training for Priority Populations

In the San Joaquin Valley, transit agencies are working to electrify their publicly owned fleets of vehicles, which, in turn, requires an expanded corps of automotive service technicians competent to repair electric cars, buses, and trucks. The Inclusive, Diverse, Equitable, Accessible, and Local (IDEAL) ZEV Workforce Pilot Project, funded by the CEC and CARB, was introduced in 2023 into three Fresno County high schools. Teachers were first trained on the materials, and the curriculum was then offered to their students in the spring of 2024. In partnership with Fresno City College, the new occupational training will become a dual enrollment option for future high school and community college learners. Additionally, Fresno CC is working with a local action committee, Valley Clean Air Now (Valley CAN), to partner its electric vehicle workforce development efforts with area businesses and civic groups that are likely to work with ZEV fleets in the future.

Disasters – man-made and ‘natural’ – can be helpful for identifying where vulnerabilities lie and suggesting solutions to previously unknown dilemmas. They can also trigger growth and innovation, as is seen in today’s EV and construction industries. As those sectors expand, they’ll need a well-trained workforce to maintain and manage them. And California is certainly intent on ensuring those workers are available and ready to go when that time comes.

 

New Needs Spur Enhanced Workforce Development

Pam Sornson, JD on June 17, 2025

Regardless of the impetus, new opportunities and jobs are constantly emerging, demonstrating a community’s capacity to respond to the needs and challenges of its constituents. While the LA region continues its cleanup after this past winter’s fires, some companies providing innovative disaster responses are also developing new services that will remain viable and valuable after the recovery is complete. The phenomenon demonstrates how successful organizations can master the pivot from ‘disaster’ to ‘debut’ by learning from past experience how to build a better future.

Seizing Opportunities

Disasters of any kind reveal a myriad of facts and data that provide insights into what happened, how it happened, and (perhaps) how to avoid it in the future. In the LA region, fire safety is now a ‘hot’ topic (sorry); experts estimate that the January 2025 conflagrations cost as much as $164 billion. The rebuild will be even more expensive. Looking forward, businesses of all sizes, as well as individuals, families, and industries, are seeking ways to prevent similar losses, and they will need well-trained assistance to develop those preservation and prevention resources.

Beyond firefighting, these emerging occupations will be very popular in the coming years:

Immediate Aftermath Response Occupations:

HAZWOPER – or Hazardous Waste Operations & Emergency Response technicians are in high demand after any disaster involving building or infrastructure loss. The HAZWOPER guidelines, established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, provide guidance on activities that threaten human health and welfare during cleanup, corrective, and emergency responses involving hazardous substances.

Debris management is a critical element of the post-fire recovery process. Fires that burn both wild and urban areas generate immense levels of toxins, both natural and man-made. Citing just a few examples and then multiplying those substances by the number of buildings lost (in the LA case, thousands) indicates the vast expanse of the environmental threat of this post-fire detritus:

    • Asphalt shingles,
    • oriented strand board,
    • household chemicals,
    • plastics,
    • vehicle fluids and materials, and more.

These substances melt and meld together into a lethal morass of toxicity that must be safely removed before reconstruction can begin.

Insurance Claims Representatives are also in high demand after a disaster destroys property and land and may take lives, as well. Insureds must collect and present documentation of their losses, and assessments are often required to determine payout values. In many cases, multiple insurers can be involved in a single claim (such as car, home, or property coverages), and the process of determining which company is responsible for what damages can take several months, if not longer.

Disaster Analysis and Prevention Occupations

Virtually every community that suffers catastrophic losses by any cause wants to recover and rebuild as quickly as possible. To do so, however, often requires understanding where and why the losses occurred to prevent inadvertently incorporating those threatening circumstances into the new plan. The following occupations generate the reports and insights needed to ensure the construction of a safe and sustainable new landscape:

Fire Investigators ferret out the critical data that explains where, why, and how fires started, spread, jumped, and were eventually contained. They investigate the cause of the conflagration, looking for arson or natural causes as the ignition point to determine if a crime was involved. Their information assists parallel investigations by law enforcement agencies, insurance companies, industrial companies, and homeowners in determining cause, liability, and, in some cases, criminal culpability for the damages done during the event.

Geographic Technology Analysts create maps, visualizations, simulations, and other informative tools to explain how the physical location of a disaster event impacts the type and level of damages incurred. Their effort is invaluable in explaining how the physical scene of the disaster location contributed to the damages incurred so that those people strategizing recovery efforts can avoid recreating similarly dangerous conditions. They also utilize technology to predict and track weather systems that can trigger natural disasters, providing a community with a warning period before the onset begins.

Disaster Recovery Occupations

The direct losses suffered during any kind of disaster are often immense and require immediate response. In the longer run, however, disaster impacts on systems and infrastructure also require close analysis and evaluation to ensure that they, too, recover appropriately.

Comprehensive Supply Chain Management is foundational to a community’s ultimate recovery. The demand for services and materials related to addressing the challenge rises exponentially during and immediately after the calamity occurs. Food, disaster management, lodging, and transportation systems are often negatively impacted during a crisis and require immediate responses that are directly related to the specific incident. In its aftermath, these indirect response activities grow in importance as the community begins its recovery and seeks new or replacement goods and services in place of those that were lost or are no longer available.

The demand for IT Disaster Recovery services (IT/DR) also rises after a disaster occurs. Especially in the business community, loss of technology can also mean the loss of the company itself. Accordingly, most practitioners of IT/DR services are also focused on preventing losses in the event of future calamities. The IT/DR specialist evaluates the entire spectrum of digital assets within the technology suite, including hardware, software, servers, networks, and compliances. They also investigate for data and process losses, new or newly revealed vulnerabilities, and failures in capacities and capabilities. As the system is rebuilt, the DR Architect will work to bring the enterprise back online while also incorporating resiliency aspects into the new system that will prevent losses and failures in the future.

In addition to needing IT/DR services, most companies also benefit from support from Business Continuity Specialists (BCS), who provide the direction and insights needed to keep a company running during and after disaster strikes. These professionals oversee the development and implementation of disaster recovery (DR) plans and strategies that incorporate all elements of the business, including staff, stakeholders, supply chain participants, and compliance mandates. Organizations that invest in these services will have a workforce that is well-trained to respond during a catastrophic event, as well as to return to action quickly once the danger has passed. The BCS also produces the reports and analyses necessary to justify further financial investments and to back up insurance claims.

 

At this moment, the Los Angeles region is moving forward in its recovery efforts after the January fires. No doubt, there are many disaster-facing professionals at work, assisting all members of the community in their efforts to recover as much as possible their former lives. Also without doubt, more such professionals and specialists will be needed as the frequency of both natural and man-made disasters is expected to increase in the coming years. Individuals seeking jobs with purpose and that offer meaningful public service would do well to consider these occupations as potential future careers.

Unexpected Benefits: Post-Disaster Growth

Pam Sornson, JD on June 3, 2025

Even in the face of devastating destruction, natural disasters also trigger industrial growth and economic opportunities. The investigations that follow every catastrophic event, including fires, floods, hurricanes, and the like, reveal and clarify the specific causes of those damages and often suggest how the extent of their failures could have been reduced or even prevented. As industries evolve in light of the new data, whole sectors frequently change course to embrace new practices. New businesses typically spring up to fill in the recently identified gaps in products and services.

Immediate Demand Triggers Industrial Growth

Analysis of recent catastrophes indicates that several support industries have arisen or expanded in their aftermath. While victims benefit from immediate responses, communities also benefit in the long run from the emergence of new companies developed specifically to address still-existing threats and catastrophe-related consequences.

Restoration Businesses

These service providers are often first on the scene after the safe removal of debris. Where damage is done but structures remain, mold, mildew, and instability arise as concerns for future residents and users. Restoration companies provide the services that remediate these issues, optimally returning the structures to their previous, undamaged state.

As natural disasters have grown more dangerous and caused greater levels of destruction, restorers have often adopted high-level technologies to assist them in their work. For example:

  • Many now deploy sensors to detect mold and mold-inducing environments; the data will direct their next remediation steps.
  • Others deploy high-tech drones to assess affected sites and destroyed areas that were inaccessible before the technology became commonplace. Their data reveals an accurate record of the destruction and often suggests where the next steps should occur. Their use also prevents injury or worse to their operators.

As disasters continue to happen and become more destructive, the restoration industry is expected to grow from US$ 41B in 2023 to US$75B in 2034.

Power Generation Companies

Power is often lost, sometimes for weeks, as a consequence of a natural disaster. Consequently, generator companies frequently experience growth in the aftermath of the event. Home generators are typically the first step toward normalcy after the electrical system fails. As a temporary fix, they keep the lights on, and the heat turned up. These backup support devices are easily accessed and have evolved adaptations based on the nature of their location and anticipated need. More than half (57%) are ‘dual-fuel’ types, for example, meaning they can run on more than one type of fuel, typically gasoline and propane. Studies indicate that two-thirds of the nation’s rural areas and over half of its urban settings (52%) would require such a backup resource in the event of a catastrophe. Demand for these assets is growing, and their market is expanding from US$2.8B in 2024 to an estimated US$7.1B in 2033.

Engineering Firms

Engineering companies also often do well after a catastrophe hits. In most cases, whole infrastructure systems are disabled or destroyed by the event, so even those who haven’t lost a home or business will lose access to critical civic services. This extensive type of damage is particularly important to repair as quickly as possible; a lack of services can sometimes lead to even more damage.

Engineering firms pursue several trajectories in their response to a disaster, and often rely on data collected by early warning systems (EWS). These extensive and comprehensive systems are designed for and implemented in anticipation of a disaster-type challenge. Data indicates that their use can both reduce damages and minimize the loss of life. Some EWS sensors register seismic activity to warn nearby populations of an impending earthquake, while others track water and soil movement in anticipation of a flood or mudslide. These early notifications give people time to evacuate the area before the threats to their lives and possessions escalate.

  • During the immediate aftermath of a destructive event, engineering companies use drones and other technological vehicles to both assess the situation and perform tasks deemed too dangerous for a human to attempt. Robots can capture images from the air to give responders accurate information about the location of survivors; they can also traverse and scan the damaged sites to determine how or if trained personnel can move into the area.
  • Artificial Intelligence is rising as a tool in these instances, as well, as it can provide a clearer picture of where threats might lie in time for communities to take preventative action.

Long-term efforts see property restorers, power source providers, and engineering firms assessing the effectiveness of earlier actions to determine how to improve the recovery phase of a natural disaster. In most cases, innovations improve systems and evolve based on the disaster-management lessons learned in the field, which can lead to stronger, more resilient communities.

Attaining a ‘Functional Recovery’

Over the past several decades, as science has recorded both the causes and effects of natural disasters, the industries that comprise the ‘built environment‘ have been making changes in their activities to reflect the new data. Those analyses have resulted in a new design philosophy that strives to improve building performance standards in response to previous building failures. This new thought process of ‘functional recovery’ looks beyond actual damage to assess the fundamental robustness of the structure itself, as well as the soundness of its safety and operational elements. The purpose of the evaluation is to avoid rebuilding using flawed practices and materials (based on their performance failures during the catastrophic event). Instead, and especially in the engineering discipline, the research suggests how experts can design and rebuild not just for resistance to damage but also for a swift and comprehensive return to function as quickly as possible after the threat subsides.

Currently, two frameworks are used for these investigations: the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s P-58 protocols for earthquake activity (FEMA P-58) and Arup‘s Resilience-Based Design Initiative (REDi) for earthquakes, floods, and windstorms. Pursuing these resilience-focused best practices during the post-disaster rebuild period should set a stronger foundation for a faster and more effective functional recovery after the next catastrophe hits.

Grieving after any calamity that causes human or property losses is expected. Today’s built environment professionals are working to alleviate some of that grief by rebuilding with resilience and loss prevention in mind. Their efforts should give every community hope that it can not just survive a disaster but also thrive in its aftermath.

 

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