By Leslie Luna

Five North County cities – Carlsbad, Escondido, Oceanside, San Marcos and Vista – make up the dream team for innovation along the 78 corridor. These forward-thinking cities are working together to boost economic prosperity while simultaneously attracting and retaining talent in the region.

The 78 corridor is home to over 20,000 companies and businesses that employ more than 277,600 workers.

Businesses, big and small, need a pool of highly-skilled and educated workers to succeed. By investing in their workforce, these five North County cities are ensuring that current and future business enterprises will remain competitive and thrive in a changing global marketplace.

The educational institutions on the 78 Corridor are committed to providing individuals with quality and affordable education. In addition, they are developing training programs to create a talent pipeline to meet employer’s needs. 

Carlsbad’s partnership with MiraCosta College is a prime example of how businesses, educational institutions, civic and community leaders are joining forces to enhance career and workforce talent development both in the city and along the 78 corridor.

MiraCosta opened the Technology Career Institute in city-owned property in March of 2015. The programs offered at TCI are designed to train skilled-workers for jobs in high-tech manufacturing, maritime technology and bio-tech manufacturing.

“The courses are accelerated, hands-on, and take place anywhere between 12 to 16 weeks in a skills-based environment,” said Kevin Pointer, management analyst for the City of Carlsbad’s economic development office.

Some of the featured programs include: Machinist Technology, Engineering Technician, Certified Anti-Terrorist Force Protection Specialist and Veterinary Assistant.

MiraCosta is currently working with ViaSat, a Carlsbad-based global broadband services and technology company, to start an electronic assembly class that will help meet ViaSat’s hiring needs, according to Pointer.

Similarly, Bio, Tech and Beyond, the city’s life sciences incubator, is supporting local life sciences firms by creating jobs and boosting the local economy. The incubator is located on a 6,000 square-foot building on Faraday Avenue.

“Bio, Tech and Beyond is made for scientists interested in testing out their new ideas in an environment where they can rent lab space and forego the immediate capital cost of having to invest in their own lab space,” said Pointer. “The incubator currently houses 20 startups and it has created over 44 full-time jobs. We are happy to see the incubator’s successes.”

Another institution expanding access to in-demand training in the North County is Cal State San Marcos. The university is partnering with the Vista Community Clinic to launch a six-month Medical Assistant Training program in the fall. The program is designed for people looking to jumpstart their career in the medical field. Students will acquire the training to collect lab tissue and specimens, and assist with administrative duties such as scheduling, filing medical records, billing and coding, measuring and monitoring bio funds.

“We worked hand-in-hand with the Vista Community Clinic to develop the curriculum and the clinic is allowing us to use one of their facilities for classes,” said Laura Segall, Marketing Director for CSUSM Extended Learning. “One of our priorities is to partner with organizations to develop programs like this to prepare area residents for employment in the region.”

Similarly, National University is increasing access to higher education through integration of online learning. The quality, accessible and flexible education format makes the institution ideal for those individuals looking to expand their skills while holding a part-time or full-time job.

The Carlsbad campus is known for hosting the National University Golf Academy with its state-of-the-art swing lab and the Performance Psychology Lab catering to the needs of the Action Sports Manufacturing industry in Carlsbad.

Following the slew of terrorists attacks at home and abroad, there’s been a demand for training in security and emergency management. A popular degree offered at the Carlsbad campus is the Master of Science in Homeland Security and Emergency Management. School officials say many of the students enrolled in the program are ex-military. More than 15,000 active duty service members transition out of active duty service in San Diego each year; so it’s no surprise many want to remain in the security and emergency field when they transition into civilian life.

National University was the first university in San Diego to be recognized by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security as a national center of academic excellence for their Master of Science degree in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance.

Drawn from the region’s most innovative companies, USC Marshall Executive MBA offers students an opportunity to contribute to their companies’ growth from the get-go.

The 22-month program, designed for senior managers looking to get into higher level management positions, is currently in its 11th year at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. Classes meet every other week on Fridays and Saturdays from 8:50 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

School officials say about 40 professionals enroll in the program each year, and 95 percent of those who enroll end up graduating.

“You’re getting a USC Marshall MBA in your own backyard at a beautiful resort, at a convenient time while keeping your job at the same time,” said Julie Tilsner, Editor at USC Marshall School of Business. “It’s a very attractive offer. You become part of the Trojan family network with more than 85,000 Marshall alumni.”

With the abundance of diverse educational options, North County provides fertile ground for businesses to expand in the region with confidence.