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Orange RPU PY 2025-2028 Regional Plan <br />14 | Page <br /> <br />reflect structural challenges, skill mismatches, and broader economic trends impacting <br />specific occupational groups. <br /> <br />Management and office and administrative support occupations report some of the <br />highest unemployment rates at 13%, aligning with the national average for these sectors. <br />These figures underscore challenges within roles that are often subject to organizational <br />restructuring or automation. Similarly, production occupations face an unemployment rate <br />of 13%, equal to the national rate, reflecting vulnerabilities in manufacturing and supply <br />chain-related roles.34 <br /> <br />Sales and related occupations, with an unemployment rate of 8%, slightly outperform the <br />national average of 9%, demonstrating some resilience despite changes in consumer <br />behavior and retail industry dynamics. Meanwhile, construction and extraction <br />occupations report an 8% unemployment rate, just below the national average of 9%, <br />suggesting a mixed recovery in the construction sector, influenced by seasonal factors <br />and fluctuating demand.35 <br /> <br />In contrast, lower unemployment rates are observed in technical and specialized fields <br />such as healthcare practitioners and technical occupations (2%), community and social <br />service occupations (1%), and legal occupations (1%). These roles benefit from steady <br />or increasing demand, particularly in health care and legal services. Meanwhile, <br />occupations tied to lower-wage service roles, such as food preparation and serving- <br />related occupations (5%) and building and grounds cleaning and maintenance <br />occupations (3%), reflect consistent demand for essential services.36 <br /> <br />Overall, occupational unemployment in Orange County illustrates a dual narrative of <br />resilience in high-demand technical roles and ongoing challenges in industries impacted <br />by automation, economic fluctuations, or shifting consumer preferences. These patterns <br />emphasize the importance of workforce development initiatives tailored to bridge skill <br />gaps and support individuals in vulnerable occupational sectors. <br /> <br /> <br />34 Lightcast. Unemployment by Occupation Sector. <br />35 Lightcast. Unemployment by Occupation Sector. <br />36 Lightcast. Unemployment by Occupation Sector. <br />EXHIBIT 1