Garcia says an iHub Advisory Council was established in 2021, representing “a diverse coalition of technical service providers, workforce development groups, green economy advocates, environmental justice and business associations to create an inclusive and comprehensive strategy to spark innovation in the Valley by leveraging the full capacity of our community’s assets.” The board of iHub SJ is comprised of government representatives from all the San Joaquin County cities, the county, economic and workforce development agencies, healthcare organizations, education and post-secondary education institutions, industry and entrepreneur and incubator service providers. “iHub SJ is a link between the private and public sectors interfacing with advanced technologies and innovators developing solutions for regional development.” “The mission of iHub SJ is to spark new innovations in the region by fostering a diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem and connecting major industry sectors including healthcare, agriculture and sustainable construction to opportunities that can accelerate economic development and the use of more efficient technologies,” says Brenna Butler Garcia, Vice President, Community Relations, at A.G. They need resources like iHub San Joaquin (iHub SJ), one of 10 California Inclusive Innovation Hubs (iHub²) designated by Governor Gavin Newsom, and the Valley Occupational Learning and Technology Institute (VOLT) training center in Modesto that caters to workers around the region. But they know they need more than proximity to Silicon Valley to attract corporate investment and stem the flow of workers, many tens of thousands of them each day, from commuting to jobs outside the region. Lacking those, investors won’t stay in town very long.Ĭalifornia’s Central Valley - particularly counties like San Joaquin and Stanislaus - can offer investors an attractive alternative to Bay Area locations in terms of labor and housing costs. It’s just as important to have in place workforce resources that ensure a steady supply of talent with the skills required today and in the future. It is incumbent on local communities to take stock of their supply of skills and to be able to quantify them relative to other communities when capital investors come to town to kick the tires.
That means technical skills and credentials as well as soft skills like critical thinking, leadership and a strong work ethic. Sk any corporate site selector or location consultant what their chief location requirement is, and it will have to do with availability of skills they or their client must be able to access.
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