Los Angeles County is home to one of the most diverse and expansive public education systems in the nation. Its health care sector represents both a critical economic engine and a unique opportunity to drive equitable workforce development. As of 2022, the health care services industry employed nearly 500,000 payroll workers in Los Angeles County, accounting for more than 11 percent of the region’s employment. As nearly 42,400 new health care jobs are already expected by 2026, educators play a critical role in guiding students into these growing, stable and often well-compensated fields. However, the systems that prepare students for these roles—K-12, community colleges and universities—face significant challenges in terms of equity, alignment and capacity. This report provides key labor market data and actionable recommendations for educators at every system level.

Over the course of two summers, UNITE-LA worked closely with groups from California State University, Dominguez Hills and California Polytechnic University, Pomona and their respective feeder community colleges to explore institutional data, hear from students, and assess transfer barriers and opportunities. Collectively, participants from transfer offices, academic affairs, admissions, academic departments, and student services identified root causes to problems that students experience and ideated and piloted solutions to support student success. This new report on the student-centered transfer redesign process details what it took for campus partners to come together, critically assess their own policies and practices, and work together to make sustainable changes that have transformed their approach to the transfer system.

This project examines business perspectives on challenges to immigrant inclusion into the labor market. The research explores variations in business engagement and support for immigrant workforce inclusion via two separate California surveys conducted in spring 2024—one survey of business organizations (e.g., chambers of commerce) and a separate survey of individual employers. The findings highlight business perspectives and needs, including support through targeted resources, technical assistance and policy efforts that could enhance workforce practices, foster collaboration and mitigate structural challenges. The project aims to inform strategies that promote positive economic outcomes for both businesses and immigrant workers at a time of unprecedented federal anti-immigrant actions.

This case study explores the barriers and opportunities within Los Angeles County’s workforce development system for opportunity youth (OY), particularly focusing on those who are former foster youth. With approximately 143,000 young people, ages 16-24, disconnected from school and work in Los Angeles County, addressing these challenges is crucial for their long-term economic success.

Key findings from this study highlight significant barriers to youth engagement in workforce development programs, including inadequate outreach, enrollment challenges and misaligned program offerings. The study also uncovers successful strategies, such as the importance of warm handoffs between referring adults and workforce staff and the value of youth-centered communication and program design.

Across the United States, workforce development efforts play a critical role in sustaining local economies while equipping our youth with the skills, resources and support to build meaningful careers and connections. However, funding gaps often leave community-based organizations leading youth workforce development programs unable to pay competitive wages to attract and retain experienced talent who are critical to supporting our youth. The Los Angeles Opportunity Youth Collaborative (OYC)–convened by the Alliance for Children’s Rights and UNITE-LA–partnered with NFF to research the full costs of workforce development programs and identify key recommendations for the future of youth workforce development programs.

UNITE-LA’s Research and Evaluation team investigated supports, challenges and opportunities for L.A. County’s parenting college students, a vital yet historically underserved group. Conducted in late 2022 and 2023, our research coincided with earlystage implementation of Assembly Bill 2881, which mandated improved support for these students in California’s public higher education institutions (IHEs). This study illuminates IHE supports and challenges for parenting students and provides data-driven recommendations to increase equity and improve college attainment.

UNITE-LA conducted its 2023 inaugural Business Interest Policy Survey to gain insight on the policy interests of 28 business organization partners throughout Los Angeles County and California, with a focus on cradle-through-career education and workforce development (EDWD) issues. Key findings indicate that almost all of our business partners are currently engaged in work surrounding EDWD policy issues; yet most experience capacity limits on staff time dedicated to EDWD work. The survey identifies key EDWD areas of interest, as well as supports that would aid business organizations in increasing engagement. The survey findings inform a set of recommendations for business organizations to advance EDWD work.

In the spring of 2022, UNITE-LA led an informational survey of Los Angeles area employers in technology-related firms to learn about their needs, challenges and priorities in recruiting and retaining workers. The survey was developed by UNITE-LA in partnership with the L.A. County Justice Care and Opportunities Department (JCOD), formerly the Office of Diversion and Reentry, and included specific questions on inclusive hiring policies and practices that may support workers who have prior involvement with the criminal legal system.

Results for our survey of 21 tech employers are presented in this report, with brief narrative summaries of select, key results in the following areas: organization type; individual respondent’s hiring and human resources (HR) influence; talent needs and challenges; inclusivity commitments; and employers’ approach to hiring systems-involved individuals (SII).

In early 2022, UNITE-LA led an informational survey, Employment Issues for Angelenos, for those who have a previous record of arrest or conviction. This data collection effort discerns employment histories, challenges and aspirations of this population—particularly for tech careers—and includes data on individual demographics.

The survey was developed by UNITE-LA in partnership with the L.A. County Justice Care and Opportunities Department (JCOD), formerly the Office of Diversion and Reentry, the Los Angeles Regional Reentry Partnership (LAARP) and SECTOR.

Results are presented in this report, with brief narrative summaries of select, key results in the following areas: demographics; education, life circumstances; job search and challenges individuals associated with our workforce programming.