California has announced $80 million in funding to support eleven projects across seven economic regions and 18 counties as part of the California Jobs First initiative. The funds, provided through the Regional Investment Initiative, are expected to support more than 23,000 jobs statewide and are aligned with strategic sectors targeted for growth.
Governor Gavin Newsom said, “We’re not just talking about creating jobs and growing our economy – we’re putting real dollars to work right now in communities across California. These investments will build momentum and deliver measurable progress in the months and years ahead, providing regions in every corner of the state with new tools to create good-paying jobs and strengthen local industries from the ground up.”
The awards are part of a plan to distribute a total of $125 million in implementation funding for projects that advance sectors identified in the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint. This document was released earlier this year by Governor Newsom as a framework for supporting regional growth, job training, and innovation.
Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to the Governor and Director of GO-Biz, along with Stewart Knox, Secretary of the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency stated: “Today marks a major milestone for California Jobs First – the moment when years of planning and collaboration turn into real projects, real jobs, and real impact. These awards reflect our shared commitment to a bottom-up, community-driven approach that builds on local strengths, drives innovation, and ensures every region across California has the opportunity to thrive.”
The first round of funding is allocated among four project clusters:
– Aerospace & Defense: Two projects on the Central Coast received nearly $17 million aimed at improving infrastructure and workforce development.
– Agtech & Farm Equipment: Four projects covering multiple regions including North State and Southern Border Regions were awarded over $28 million.
– Bioeconomy: More than $10 million went to support infrastructure in the North San Joaquin Valley Region.
– Life Sciences: Four projects based in Los Angeles County received almost $24 million.
This latest round builds on previous efforts where $182 million had already been distributed among 13 regional groups for pilot programs tailored to local needs. The grassroots approach allows each region flexibility to address their unique economic challenges.
To accelerate further job creation efforts statewide, officials have moved up plans for distributing additional funds. The second round is set to begin in October 2025 rather than January 2026.
In addition to these investments under California Jobs First, other workforce initiatives are underway. Through the Master Plan for Career Education, there is an aim to serve 500,000 apprentices by 2029. For example:
– Over $94 million is being directed this year toward apprenticeship programs aiming to reach 52,000 apprentices.
– In August alone, grants totaling $26 million were awarded specifically targeting women and disadvantaged communities’ access into construction careers.
– Additional funding was announced over recent months for building trades training ($20 million) as well as youth apprenticeship opportunities ($15.4 million).
California continues its position as one of world’s largest economies—ranking fourth globally—and remains a leader nationally in business starts as well as manufacturing capacity (https://www.brookings.edu/articles/californias-manufacturing-might/), technology investment (https://news.crunchbase.com/startups/california-startup-funding-decline/), agriculture output (https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/statistics/), population growth (https://www.dof.ca.gov/forecasting/demographics/estimates/e-1/documents/E-1_2023PressRelease.pdf), and tourism spending (https://industry.visitcalifornia.com/research/economic-impact).
“We’re not just talking about creating jobs… we’re putting real dollars to work right now,” Newsom said.
