Item 08 Regional and Unified Local Workforce Plans for Program Years (PY) 2025-2028 as R_20250514214801296

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Orange RPU PY 2025-2028 Regional Plan 38 | Page are for above-middle-skill roles, such as Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners, which demand advanced education and specialized expertise. This distribution highlights the sector’s heavy reliance on entry-level and middle-skill jobs.79 Efforts to enhance career pathways for underrepresented populations in the Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism sector focus on expanding access to training that builds transferable skills and prepares workers for advancement into middle-skill roles or transitions to higher-paying industries. While businesses increasingly adopt automated scheduling and mobile ordering technologies, workforce strategies must emphasize equipping workers with the skills to manage and complement these tools. These initiatives aim to provide workers with sustainable employment opportunities, improve job quality, and create pathways for long-term economic mobility. By focusing on these five in-demand industry sectors, Orange County’s workforce system will ensure job seekers receive the training to enter high-wage, sustainable careers. At the same time, employers benefit from a highly skilled workforce that supports regional economic growth. The region’s ability to connect training programs with employer needs, provide real-time labor market insights, and foster career pathways will be crucial in building an equitable and competitive workforce for years. B. Sector Strategies and Other Industry-Focused Initiatives The Orange RPU has a strong foundation in sector partnership work, initiated under the “Slingshot” grant funded by the California Workforce Development Board. This early work established the region’s adoption of the Next Gen Sector Partnership model, launching industry sector partnerships in four priority sectors. Initial industry collaboration meetings were held just before the COVID-19 pandemic, with participation from employers, chambers of commerce, unions, and other partners. While progress stalled during the pandemic, the RPU has been working to engage ecosystem partners to lay the foundation for re-engaging employers in industry sector partnerships and advancing these efforts over the next four years. The RPU’s goal is to work with the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) and the Orange County Regional Consortium (OCRC) to improve industry sector partnerships and advisory meetings. By strengthening coordination with these organizations, which also engage businesses directly, the RPU seeks to streamline engagement efforts, reduce duplication, and ensure these meetings are impactful for employers and workforce partners. As part of these collaborative efforts, workforce boards will partner with OCRC and trade associations on a Strong Workforce project that utilizes the Business & Industry Leadership Team (BILT) Model to convene regional advisories. Initial efforts will focus on the automotive and restaurant industries while exploring opportunities to pilot Next Gen Sector Partnership elements in manufacturing, healthcare, or information technology. Insights from these efforts will help shape ongoing strategies, guiding the expansion and strengthening of sector partnerships to meet regional workforce needs. 79 Centers of Excellence for Labor Market Research, Orange County Sector Profile: Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism. EXHIBIT 1