Colleges Assess for Job Training Capacities

Pam Sornson, JD on March 3, 2026

Just one impact of the 2025 LA Fires is their influence on 2026 educational priorities. In addition to the regional renovations going on in preparation for the 2028 Olympics, the LA basin is now also ramping up its construction and related industries to rebuild the burned neighborhoods. As was revealed by recent research completed by the Centers for Excellence (COE), those resource upgrades are coming just in time – there are literally thousands of jobs now available (or coming online soon) that need filling, if the area is going to meet its goal of infrastructure repair by 2028 and full residential recovery by 2035.

California Community Colleges Focus on Recovery Occupations

Throughout 2025, even while the fires were burning, the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) was assessing how it could leverage its existing LA-region training resources to respond more directly to the emerging demand for construction tradespeople. Seeking clarifying data, the Office turned to the COE for an in-depth analysis of its LA-based programs, courses, and trainings. Further, after the fires were extinguished, the CCCCO requested data on the anticipated labor demand for recovery efforts.

The COE responded with a detailed set of documents that provides insights and guidance for all entities engaged in the recovery effort. The resulting LA Fire Recovery dashboard consists of six sections, each related to an integral element of the recovery process:

  1. Navigation
  2. Labor Demand and Supply
  3. Educational Program Capacity
  4. LA-based CCC Programs Analysis
  5. LA-based CCC Programs Listings, and
  6. Overview, Methodology, and Data Sources.

The information gathered offers anyone interested or invested in the recovery process a detailed and comprehensive view of just how immense the recovery project will be, and of the thousands of jobs and careers it has the capacity to launch.

The February 3rd edition of the Pulse introduced the LA Recovery strategy and the funding being distributed to LA-region colleges to support it. The February 17 edition introduced readers to the Labor and Demand section; that analysis revealed a massive gap – 104,996 workers! – between the expected demand for an appropriately trained workforce (109,183) and the expected supply coming available within the year (4,187). Clearly, there is much educating to be done.

Fire Recovery Educational Program Capacity – All Available Training Resources  

The research tracks the number of learners enrolled in various fire- and construction-related courses in the three primary sources of occupational training in the LA area:

  • the 19 local community colleges (using metrics from the ‘23-’24 academic year),
  • the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL – four program years starting 2019, ending 2024), and
  • other facilities offering Adult Education training.

Within those timeframes, the numbers are less than imposing:

  • Of the 80,070 community college students attending 34 construction-related courses at the 58 colleges within 100 miles of the fires, only 2,507 earned an academic or CTE (Career Technical Education) award within the time frame, while 2,854 earned a NC (non-credit) ‘workforce milestone’ (typically a credential of some kind), and almost 20,000 (19,747) earned more than nine Career Education Units. The math indicates that only 31.35% of all relevant students advanced in their occupational education journey over that period.
  • The Adult Education data shows that 16,133 students were enrolled in 432 courses during the listed timeframe, but does not report the outcomes of those training activities.
  • The ETPL data reveals that 3,963 individuals received training, and of those, 2,653 ‘exited’ their program. There is no clarification for the word ‘exit.’

The good news: these programs are in place and actively training new workforce members in the skills they’ll need to find work within these chosen industries. Now, the school’s impetus is to scale them to attract and serve more learners.

Fire Recovery Community College Programs – Specifically

The data presented on community college fire-related training efforts are comprehensive and provide an excellent view into the depth, breadth, and scope of the training opportunities offered by these 58 schools. The COE has parsed the information into three main categories per school and across the region:

  • There are a total of 34 fire-related Programs (organized by Taxonomy of Programs code (TOP), from Architectural Drafting to Telecommunications Technology. Graduates from each course will have the training and skills needed to find and maintain jobs and careers in their chosen field.
  • The report identifies 39 Standard Occupation Classifications (SOCs) that define the ultimate accreditation received through each training program. These are the familiar occupations that spring to mind when considering a construction-related job: roofers, painters, drywall experts, etc.
  • The site also identifies the specific ‘Award’ or Credential offered by the program. Many training programs issue certifications and/or ‘noncredit’ awards: their durations are shorter, they train on specific skill sets, and they do not generate transferable academic credit. Graduates can earn their award quickly and get into a job, sometimes within weeks. Additionally, in many industries, certifications are becoming ‘stackable,’ with each advanced course adding more skills to the baseline, and typically commanding a higher pay rate as a result.

This element of the CCCCO website is particularly helpful for those seeking the best-paying jobs with training opportunities close to home. Again, the numbers reveal plenty of opportunities to enter several occupational fields, based on one’s aptitudes and preferences. As examples:

  • Maintenance and repair workers will be highly sought after for decades. With demand for over 27,000 such workers in the Industrial Systems Technology & Maintenance program, only 187 candidates were available in that supply chain during the study period.
  • Architectural drafters are also needed. With an expected demand of over 2,700 certified drafters, only 1099 are in the pipeline now.
  • Not surprisingly, electricians are also in high demand, with a projected need for almost 11,000 (10,997) within the next few years. However, as with the other examples, there were only 362 in training during the study period to achieve that skillset.

Also of note is the reality that the burgeoning artificial intelligence (AI) capacity is swiftly layering into these training courses and programs. As the rebuild continues, it will also include substantial upgrades to ensure present and future residents have the technological capacity they’ll need to compete in the economy of the future. As the California Community Colleges revise their programs and courses to address the overwhelming demand for skilled construction and fire-related workers, they’ll also be including AI comprehension and mastery into that mix.

The immense impact of the 2025 LA Fires can’t be understated, from the destruction they caused to the economic growth they now promise. Since they were extinguished, the LA region has been hard at work removing the debris and detritus, while strategizing its next steps toward rebuilding. There is already a growing demand for workers in most fields related to this work, and that demand will continue to grow. The CCCs and their Chancellor’s Office are hard at work expanding their capacities to provide this elevated workforce, and will be doing so for many years to come.

CCC’s Use Data to Direct Fire Recovery Efforts

Pam Sornson, JD on February 17, 2026

In December 2025, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) issued its ‘Compendium of Allocations and Resources,’ a roadmap of strategies that pursue the agency’s commitment to student success. Building on the established California Community College (CCC) principles of ‘Vision 2030,’ the Compendium aligns current state spending mandates with its long-term higher education goals. And, at the base of both initiatives, lies data, the fundamental element that both provides direction and guidance to activities, as well as confirmation of their success.

Data as a Policy Driver

One CCC project relying heavily on data is the CCC’s LA Fire Recovery project, launched in response to the 2025 wildfires, which uses data to inform its approach to rebuilding the region’s areas that were destroyed by the flames. The CCC relies on information gleaned by and for the Center of Excellence for Labor Market Research (COE), a research entity utilized by the Los Angeles Regional Consortium of Community Colleges (LARC) to identify and explain market forces.

For the LA Fire Recovery project, the COE pulls both labor market data and industrial information to determine which occupations are most needed and which industries they serve. The resulting Dashboard of information is now used to inform the CCCs about which programs and training strategies are, or will be, most in demand in the coming months and years, as well as the schools that are now, or will be, best suited to host those courses.

Four Steps to Workforce Growth

Perhaps the most significant aspect of the Dashboard is how it connects the demand for labor to the specific schools already training for those occupations. The process follows four steps:

  • Demand and Supply – This section examines which occupations are most needed for the rebuild effort and the levels of labor supply required to meet current and growing demand. It includes going wages for these jobs, too. This data sets a baseline for decision-makers who must balance the demand for these programs with other popular courses.
  • Educational Program Capacity – This section measures the number of current students enrolled in programs with the highest expected worker demand. The data is notable because it includes not just students enrolled in community colleges but also those participating in Eligible Training Provider (ETP) programs and other adult education institutions.
  • Community College Program Analysis – This section examines the CCCs that already have related training programs available, the types of diplomas and degrees offered, and the courses that have the highest number of graduates. A high graduate number indicates that the program is both popular and successful for both the learner and their future employer. Programs that meet this level of success are more easily extended and replicated to quickly and effectively increase the supply of qualified workers.
  • Community College Program List – This section evaluates the number and types of local fire-recovery-related programs available at the various schools. Often, courses that provide similar training modules aren’t consistently labeled across a school system. This dataset eliminates the confusion that that can create.

The organizational structure of the LA Fire Recovery Dashboard clarifies for researchers, administrators, and educators where skilled labor is in short supply, where labor demands are growing, and where training for these skilled workers is available now. The information both quantifies and qualifies funding and staffing decisions, providing critical credibility for those who are responsible for budget and financial determinations.

Deeper Dive: Step One – Demand and Supply

For many people, the concept of ‘supply and demand’ is pretty simple: it helps markets set prices by evaluating the relationship between product availability (supply) and customer intention (demand). And while that principle is evident in the CCC ‘Demand and Supply’ dashboard, the data also provides a much deeper, more specific analysis of that concept within the context of labor and occupations.

This dataset provides insights into 56 housing construction trades and occupations with a fire-related rise in demand, the types of jobs available within those sectors, and an estimate of the total number of workers needed to achieve a fully populated labor force.

The Drafting, Design, and Surveying Example …

The numbers are revealing (as of September 2025), as is evidenced by the Occupation Group for Drafting, Design, and Surveying:

  • There are four listed occupations:
    • Architectural and Civil Drafters
    • Mechanical Drafters
    • Electrical and Electronics Drafters, and
    • Surveying and Mapping Technicians.
  • Demand for these occupations is currently high (a total of 4,216 in these four categories), but supply is decidedly low (only 1,702) coming available through current training programs:
    • 2,765 are needed in the Architectural category, but there are only 913 listed in the ‘supply’ column;
    • The Mechanical Drafters category needs 610 workers now, with only 350 coming available.
    • There is a need for 413 Electrical drafters, but only 200 are coming available soon, and
    • There’s a gap of 188 surveyors, with a demand for 428 and a supply of only 240.

Also identified in this data is the wage range for these occupations, which can help undecided students envision their future in a specific job. Across these occupations, the entry-level average is ~$27/hour, with wage growth up to almost $42/hour for experienced workers.

And all four subcategories are experiencing an increase in demand because of the fires. While the demand for mechanical, electrical, and surveying workers rose by approximately 40% over pre-fire levels, the need for architectural drafters rose by over 58%.

… Is Mirrored by Other Occupational Groups

The other Occupation Groups show similar high demand with equally low supply:

  • Heavy Equipment and Construction
    • Most notable: the demand for First-line Supervisors across the construction trades is currently 12,763, while the supply chain shows only 584 coming available any time soon.
  • Helpers and Laborers
    • As of September 2025, there were NO helpers available across all trades, leaving untouched the demand for over 1,000.
  • Maintenance, Repair, and Inspection
    • These jobs are also in high demand, with almost no supply of workers. Data shows a demand for over 43,000 with an expected supply of only 858.
  • Mechanical, Electrical, and Systems
    • Again, there’s a dearth of supply (900) rising to meet the immense demand (26,015).
  • Structural and Finishing
    • Not surprisingly, the current (9/25) supply of 74 carpenters (within the housing construction subsector) can’t come close to meeting the demand for the over 8,000 needed to rebuild all the homes lost in the fires.

The COE – LARC Dashboard is a lodestone of information for every entity invested in assuring LA’s recovery from the wildfires of 2025. Not only is it helping people find training and jobs in occupations of their choice, it also gives the CCCs the information they need to build out relevant, in-demand programs for the Rebuild and Recovery project.

 

Workforce Development Efforts Track Wildfire Responses

Pam Sornson, JD on February 3, 2026

In the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO), the drive for innovation is alive and well today, as it has been since the inception of the higher education system in 1907. The CCCCO’s response to the Los Angeles wildfires of 2025 is just another example of its dedication to providing its students with the best job- and career-focused opportunities available.

Even as the fires were spreading across northern LA County, the CCC Chancellor, Dr. Sonya Christian, was in Los Angeles, meeting with leadership at the schools most affected by the conflagration: Glendale Community College, Santa Monica College, and Pasadena City College. She was seeking information about how the colleges might respond to the crisis, both in the instant moment (as the fires burned) and subsequent to their containment. Her conclusion? California’s community colleges are the exact right entity to provide the workforce that will help the city and region recover. And her strategy to accomplish that goal is equally innovative: find the schools that are already training for occupations related to the rebuilding project and invest in extending their activities. The result: meet the CCC’s LA Fire Recovery Community Colleges Programs, aka Rebuild LA.

Step One: Identify Available Resources

The initial push for the CCCs (and for all entities seeking to help) was to identify who needed help and what kinds of help were available. Almost immediately, Pasadena City College (PCC) offered the Rose Bowl facility as an Emergency Command Center and a fire support hub. That decision gave the first 4,000 responders a place to suit up and stay informed about day-to-day firefighting activities.

Firefighter supports, however, were just one aspect of community college support efforts. There are 19 CCCs in LA County, and Chancellor Christian realized that all of them offered a panoply of relief and response opportunities, regardless of their proximity to the flames. Coordinating their contributions became the initial focus of the Rebuild LA project.

  • Of the 19, the three colleges closest to the fires – Glendale, Santa Monica, and Pasadena – had the highest number of affected people. Hundreds of students, staff, and faculty all lived or worked within the fire perimeters, and many lost their homes and jobs. Other schools also had personnel who were affected by the disaster for the same reasons. Finding food, shelter, transportation, and medical resources for all who were directly impacted was the first order of business.
  • Beyond those immediate needs, the schools also had a rudimentary infrastructure in place upon which to build out the industrial supports the communities would need to repair and rebuild. Specifically, the construction industry was clearly going to boom once the fires were contained. Whole neighborhoods would require reconstruction, from relaying underground water and electrical systems to replacing the homes and commercial spaces that had been destroyed. Very early on, Chancellor Christian began conversations with individual schools to determine which had programs already in place to provide the relevant workforce needed to accomplish the rebuild projects. Schools that had other resources and which could provide a foundation for future occupational training capacities were also explored for the short-, mid-, and long-term opportunities they might offer.
  • Not least, the Chancellor needed reliable funding to underwrite the rebuild initiative that was emerging. The ‘Rebuild LA’ strategy would develop in tandem with the CCC’s “Vision 2030,” which provides a roadmap for the development of the Community College system as a whole. (Updated in July 2025, the revised Vision 2030 incorporated lessons learned prior to the fires, as well as those that arose from the challenges that the fires ultimately posed.) At the center of both projects – Vision 2030 and Rebuild LA – is the concept of ‘access,’ and, as of Summer 2025, the CCC system doubled down on its goal to ensure that as many people and entities as possible would have access to all the resources that are embodied within this higher education endeavor.

Step Two: Catalyze Existing Effort

Remarkably, the fire recovery situation in LA facilitated the actuation of a long-term goal of the CCCs. For several years, that system has been working to streamline community college programming to maximize its value at each school while reducing unnecessary duplication across the CCC network. Consequently, many individual colleges have been developing high-quality programming that meets very specific industrial workforce demands. Chancellor Christian approached these schools and asked if they could ramp up these specific focused activities to meet the newly emerging demands, too. She also inquired about sharing training practices with other schools, so that the overall training capacity would be multiplied to meet the soon-to-be-explosive demand for workers in these jobs. The Chancellor’s actions as the crisis unfolded jump-started the recovery effort before the flames were fully contained.

At the same time, the State of California came through with critical funding for this specific rebuilding project. In its 2025-2026 budget for the community colleges, the State allocated a total of $5,000,000 to be distributed in accordance with the Los Angeles Rebuild criteria. Over these next two years, the CCCs will build standard and CTE (Career and Technical Education) programs to respond to urgent, LA-based workforce needs, including retraining and upskilling capacities for current workers. The construction, emergency response, and infrastructure sectors are the most notable beneficiaries, as jobs in those occupations will be in very high demand.

In addition to covering costs for subject matter training, the funding also offers stipends of up to $1,400 per student for support services aimed at un- and underemployed learners. The three schools that are most affected by the fire will receive dedicated funding to move them quickly into ‘production’ mode:

  • Pasadena City College will receive $1,000,000 for the LA Rebuild project and another $500,00 for the LA Rebuild Regional initiative.
  • Glendale College receives $340,000 for its LA Rebuild efforts, and
  • Santa Monica College is receiving $900,000 for the LA Rebuild and another $500,000 for the Regional Rebuild effort.

The CCCs will be using data collected and developed by its research arm, the Centers of Excellence, to guide the selection and implementation of training programs.

As this new year begins, these schools are already at work building out the resources they’ll need to pursue the LA Rebuild initiative. And the focus on the construction industry can’t come at a better time; even with all this contribution to building out those training and education resources, the gaps in trained labor for construction work will still prevent a fully employed sector any time soon.

Engineering Resilience as a Noun and a Verb

Pam Sornson, JD on January 20, 2026

Resilience’ is more than an attitude that encourages optimism in the face of disaster. From an engineering perspective, ‘resilience’ is also a practice that assesses the short-, mid-, and long-term impacts of calamities to ensure the recovery process includes a full scope of safeguards and considerations to prevent similar events in the future. In LA’s current recovery efforts, engineers of all types are evaluating both existing and emerging tools and systems to determine which offer the best response to their then-specific concern. By developing repair and rebuilding capacities using both traditional and innovative lenses, recovery professionals are intending to bounce back from the fires while improving protections and preventions at the same time.

Engineering Processes Embrace All Elements

In the ‘built’ environment, engineers are assessing structures above, below, and within buildings that have been damaged or destroyed by the fires. They’re also assessing the often hidden infrastructural aspects of the community, including roads, water systems, underground sewers, above-ground power grids, and the like. Each element, individually, is a critical component of the community’s fundamental operating system; the connections between them ensure that the community benefits from comprehensive interactions among them all. Accordingly, as the rebuild process continues, each individual project will consider and make adjustments for all of these elements as they pertain to the specific system under repair or reconfiguration.

A Fortified Foundation

At this moment, ‘rebuilding LA’s foundation’ post-flames means more than just replacing its literal hardscape. Even apparently sound concrete walls can have hidden cracks and crevasses that will fail under the right circumstances. Further, the rebuild opportunity itself allows for expanding service capabilities and defenses against future environmental challenges beyond fires, including floods and earthquakes. A series of emerging tools and skillsets offer as-yet unmatched insights and expertise:
  • Software programs now provide end-to-end solutions for all aspects of a foundational build, from bidding out projects to code compliance analysis. Today’s AI and 3D modeling facilitate comprehensive investigations not just of materials but also of strategies, blueprints, and plans. Some include ‘sustainability calculators’ that direct users to alternative, green options they might not previously have considered.
  • Actual building and construction tools and practices are also evolving:
    • Robots and automation are now making many on-site tasks easier and faster to complete, as well as safer and longer-lasting.
    • 3D printing is being implemented as a foundation-building tool, crafting 3D-printed foundation parts and systems. These sophisticated devices reduce the time and labor previously needed to frame, pour, and cure a concrete footing.
    • ‘Smart’ materials and tools provide on-site data with unparalleled accuracy. Clever solutions like ‘self-healing’ or translucent cement, and IoT (Internet of Things) sensors allow users to make decisions based on real-time data, and select and deploy the environmentally appropriate materials they choose to use.

A Hardened Exterior

Specifically in relation to fire danger, fortifying a building’s exterior provides preventative barriers and automatic retardant features to reduce the likelihood of a fire’s ignition or the spread of an existing conflagration.  In the LA region, newly constructed homes and businesses are using concrete and metal for exterior surfaces, replacing the wood- and shingled exteriors of the past. Steel framing, metal roofs, and even ember-resistant venting systems will slow or extinguish a spark before it can flare up into a more dangerous flame.

An Integrated Solution

As a silver lining to fire-caused losses, a rebuild that resolves existing fire-damage problems and integrates features that protect against both flames and earthquakes is an optimal choice. A comprehensive evaluation of the land on which the building sits is necessary to detect its capacity to withstand an earthquake. Data collected from that assessment can be used to select appropriate materials and to develop overarching systems and strategies to protect the structure during the next event, whether it’s a fire or an earthquake. Not only will the resulting construction be more solid and secure than its predecessor, but it will also provide a more structurally sound basis for the surface finishes that will follow.

An Upskilled Workforce

The demand for an enhanced built environment post-2025 fires is also driving innovations in workforce development. Construction skills have advanced well beyond hammer-and-drill capabilities; today’s digitally based construction tools and machines also often require advanced training so users can realize the full value of those investments.
  • Building Information Modeling (BIM) uses cutting-edge technology to create data-rich project elements, including plans, blueprints, designs, and operational details. Properly configured, these sophisticated tools can guide all aspects of the building project, including highly detailed visualizations (to keep everyone on the same page), budgeting, crew oversight, code compliances, and more. The 3D renderings offer collaborative opportunities and project-wide management capabilities that connect the efforts, activities, and goals of all involved professions and trades.
  • Not surprisingly, data analysis is a critical component of today’s construction industry, as it is in almost all industries. Both on-site and in the design studio, modern sensors and embedded software gather information that’s relevant to virtually all members of the design and build team. Well-trained analysts use that data to identify cost savings, safety concerns, scheduling challenges, and even resource allocation, reducing waste and improving long-term performance for the construction team.
  • ‘Green’ building expertise is also on the rise as an in-demand construction skill. The global nature of today’s markets requires most high-level construction professionals to be aware of international environmental mandates, even if they aren’t required for the specific project at hand. “ESG” goals – environmental, social, and governance – help every company develop and maintain a sustainable, ethical, and environmentally sound building practice that invites accolades and new clients. These days, investors are increasingly seeking ESG-standard investment opportunities, seeing those values as the foundations for future wealth and stability. ESG-related data can also shape corporate expectations, attract talent, and enhance a company’s reputation.
At a minimum, the rebuilding of LA and its fire-ravaged communities requires investment and effort to replace what was recently lost and protect against threats that will certainly emerge in the future. As that process moves forward, the community will gain in many ways:
  • its economy will recover through the rebuilding process;
  • its built environment will be better able to withstand future environmental threats, and
  • Its workforce will be better skilled to provide the services and capabilities demanded by those enhanced physical environments.
In short, LA is building ‘resilience’ into its infrastructure, so that the community – and the City itself – is better able to withstand future threats and concerns, confident that losses will be minimized and progress can continue on.

LA Infrastructure Do-Over: 2026

Pam Sornson, JD on January 6, 2026

Last winter’s wildfires were extraordinarily damaging, reducing 62 square miles of urban and rural landscapes to ash and debris. Full recovery from the disaster will take time and the services of an untold number of workers, professional and otherwise, who are now tasked with identifying, redesigning, and repairing the failed infrastructure. The silver lining is that demand for workers in these occupations and industries has never been higher; not only must they clear away the fire debris and rebuild the burned areas, but they are also actively involved in rebuilding the city for the 2028 Olympics. To say there will be many jobs available in these sectors is probably a gross understatement.

Identifying Infrastructure Damage

Along with the thousands of buildings that were destroyed are the miles of roads, power lines, sewer and water lines that connected these now distraught communities to their service providers. As experts combed through the damage from the conflagration, they found several internal and inherent weaknesses in the pre-existing infrastructure that contributed to the high loss values, and also impeded a faster, more effective response by firefighters.

This edition of The Pulse examines how LA’s water supply infrastructure fared during the disaster. An adequate and safe water supply is fundamentally essential to every civilized community, so when that system is disturbed or destroyed, it is critical to get it back online a quickly as possible. The second January edition of the Pulse looks at the ‘engineered’ infrastructure and how the fires impacted its performance and safety. The region’s roads, utilities, and other foundational elements all experienced severe deterioration due to the heat and flames; recovering those services as quickly and fully as possible will also be essential to fully restoring the community.

The Water System

As is typical for disasters of this magnitude, the subsequent review and analysis reveal how the design and construction of the pre-event systems were affected by the unforeseen effects of the fires. Notably, investigators found that the decades-old water systems that laced a net beneath the city were particularly challenging during the disaster, as they were not designed to handle a blaze of the scale of the one that occurred in January 2025.

Specifically, LA’s 1940s-era ‘tank and hydrant’ water supply system ran dry during the battle, not because there was an insufficient volume of water, but because its design was aimed at combating house fires. It simply wasn’t extensive or robust enough to encompass a ‘full neighborhood’ scope of active flames. The hilly areas of LA were designed with this ‘pump and tank’ storage system‘ that collected water in downstream reservoirs and then pumped it up the hills into higher elevation storage tanks. When fighting house fires, the tanks fed downhill water hydrants located in the vicinity of the afflicted dwelling. During the 2025 fires, however, there wasn’t enough stored water available in those uphill tanks to supply the whole network of downhill hydrants, so both tanks and hydrants quickly ran dry.

Additionally, one-quarter of the region’s hydrants (24%) were also simply too small for today’s modern firefighting equipment. Their 2.5-inch water outlets were not capable of connecting to today’s updated hose dimensions, which rendered them completely obsolete during Winter ‘25. The American Water Works Association has already declared that this style of hydrant is no longer suitable for providing adequate fire protection.

Other difficulties also contributed to the high cost of losses:

  • The heat of the blazes melted or otherwise damaged the miles of pipes running under streets, parks, and public and private properties, causing leaks within the network of ducts and conduits.
  • Broken pipes also often reduce pressure within the system, which occurred here, too. That failure reduced both the volume of available water and the water pressure needed to fight the fires.
  • Not insignificantly, the loss of pressure also caused ash, soot, smoke, and other fire-related debris to enter the water system, clogging it with toxins and contaminating the water that was still available. Many of the reservoirs were affected, leading to “do not drink” warnings for area residents.

Extensive Repairs and Replacements are Needed

Experts have weighed in on what needs to be done to resuscitate the affected water systems.

  • Those sections that were completely destroyed will need a full replacement system of pipes, pumps, storage capacities, etc. The affected neighborhoods now need new water mains installed, including anciliary connections to buildings, and affiliated meters to measure future usage.
  • Those that remained ‘intact’ will need to be fully flushed and evaluated for their soundness moving forward. In many cases, it will probably be true that the old pipes are no longer sufficient to meet the newer standards that will become mandatory for future fire prevention.
  • In both cases, the overarching ‘system’ of water control and management must be reimagined to encompass improvements in daily water-use capacity and to be prepared for a future fire.

One tool that will provide critical data for the evaluation and design of the new systems is the Water Demand Calculator, developed by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO). California adopted this water management tool in 2024 because of its adherence to the organization’s WE.Stand code, which optimizes water use in the face of climate, fire, drought, and other environmental threats. Using the Calculator, builders can more accurately measure the size of water pipes before they install them to ensure sufficient pressure even during high-demand times.

Another resource available for guidance during the rebuild effort is the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), which develops municipal codes specifically to reduce the damage caused by fires. One opportunity that might be appropriate in hilly Southern California is a firefighter breathing air replenishment system (FBAS), a hard-piped network installed into infrastructure systems that facilitates the replenishment of clean air into firefighter scuba tanks on the scene of the fire itself. Now mandated in Phoenix, AZ, the FBAS was devised after 9/11, when First Responders found themselves many stories up but out of fresh air in their tanks.

As LA begins its rebuilding effort in earnest, these concerns must be addressed to ensure the damage suffered in 2025 won’t be repeated in the future. And, given the growing impact of climate change on the State’s drier regions, these new systems must be designed to anticipate similar conditions while delivering better results.

The LA Rebuild 2026 Initiative Begins

Pam Sornson, JD on December 4, 2025

The 2025 LA fires changed forever how LA and its surrounding areas will manage their environments, and the rebuilding process is already well underway. Strategies and plans are emerging that show how businesses, governments, and people are coming together to address the impact of those conflagrations on today’s and tomorrow’s economic and infrastructure realities.

Recovery Begins with Cleanup

The recovery process began as soon as the fires were contained in late January 2025. Teams immediately began assessing damage to buildings, systems, and infrastructure in the affected areas. Governor Newsom led the way, of course, by immediately directing state resources to respond to the crisis at hand as quickly and expeditiously as possible:

    • Modification of permitting requirements that unduly impede reconstruction activities;
    • Suspending building standards codes that unnecessarily delay rebuilding processes, and
    • A revision of permitting and approval practices to hasten to progress of reconstruction strategies. The City of LA responded to this directive through Emergency Executive Order No.1, issued January 13, 2025 :
      • creating dedicated ‘permitting centers’ close to the burn areas;
      • launching a strike force dedicated to streamlining the administration of redevelopment activities, and
      • Pursuing processes that generate fully permitted reconstruction plans within 30 days of application submission.

Additional Community Supports and Advances

Throughout the course of the year, many companies and organizations stepped up to help fire survivors – human and corporate – continue their forward momentum:

  • According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, a variety of engineering specialties are already hard at work on the rebuild project. Engineering professionals familiar with fire science, architecture, forestry, and even ‘community resilience’ are on site, evaluating and designing responses to rebuilding challenges, sub- and infrastructure failures, water system concerns, and other critical service demands. In many cases, they are implementing lessons learned through other ‘natural’ disasters, including the Hurricane Katrina deluge that flattened New Orleans in 2005, the earthquakes that destroyed parts of Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2010 and 2011, and a similar fire incident in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in 2016. The Gatlinburg fire was one of the first major conflagrations to cross the ‘wildland-urban’ interface (WUI), which typically serves as a barrier between natural and human-built environments. Lessons learned there will help the LA area understand better how past actions contribute to the destruction, and how future decisions can prevent replication of those losses.
  • A newly developed program, Strengthening Opportunities through Action and Resilience (SOAR), places at-risk youth in a construction-focused workforce training model that offers both education and structure. In addition to active involvement with construction-related companies, SOAR also provides the youth with stability services, housing management support, and even social activities such as bike rides and hiking.
  • Even the Walt Disney Company is involved in the rebuilding process.
    • In November 2025, the organization committed $15 million to the LA Rebuild effort, including $5 million to reopen the Charles White Park in Altadena and redevelop two other regional parks. The fires completely leveled the beloved recreation sites, and Disney’s ‘Imagineers,’ very well known for their creativity, are working on architectural and landscape designs to replace the lost community assets.
    • Not insignificantly, the company is also sponsoring Altadena’s upcoming Christmas Tree Lane Lighting Ceremony and Winter Festival, to be held on December 6. The treasured community gathering is among the oldest (at 105 years this year), large-scale, outdoor Christmas light displays in the world. Disney, which knows a few things about outdoor Christmas decor, is sponsoring volunteer opportunities, festive moments with cherished Disney characters, and a toy drive expected to gather more than 1,000 toys for needy families.
    • In addition, the Disney company has opened its doors to the many students who lost their schools to the flames. Palisades, Brentwood, and Altadena learners are enjoying ‘Disney Field Days‘ at the area studios responsible for many of today’s most popular films, including Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm.

In the 11 months since the fires:

  • The updated permitting process now moves documents through almost three times faster than before;
  • Fire-related debris has been removed from more than 3,450 properties, and
  • The volume of removed debris exceeds one million tons (so far).

Further, looking forward, the scale of redevelopment will explode as all the detritus is finally removed and the foundations are laid for the next iteration of Palisades, Altadena, and the other towns and regions affected. By all accounts, 2026 will be a boom year for the area’s construction and supporting industries, while the larger spotlight will shine on and celebrate LA’s resilience as a unified and supportive community.

 

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.

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