The Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce (GCVCC) has announced that Governor Gavin Newsom has introduced the California Jobs First Council. The Council, in conjunction with an operational plan, is set to develop economic and workforce development programs.
According to a press release by GCVCC, the California Jobs First Council will work alongside the Council for Career Education to implement the governor’s 2023 executive order. This collaboration aims to create a Master Plan for Career Education, an initiative designed to harmonize educational and workforce systems across the state. The focus of this effort will be on historically underserved communities.
The council, chaired by Dee Dee Myers, senior advisor to Newsom and director of the governor’s office of business & economic development, and Stewart Knox, secretary of labor and workforce development, includes representatives from various state entities. According to the release, these entities span sectors such as the California Natural Resources Agency, the California Health and Human Services Agency, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the California Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Public Utilities Commission.
Myers said in a press release by the governor’s office: "The California Jobs First Council is another piece of the puzzle in the Governor’s pursuit of creating a California For All. I am looking forward to working with my colleagues to align strategic investments that further economic growth and job creation in every region of California."
Established in 2016, GCVCC supports a business landscape spanning nearly forty-five miles. It serves almost half a million residents and over a million annual visitors. According to information on its webpage, GCVCC operates as a business membership organization.