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California Jobs First State Economic Blueprint
Built on the foundation of the thirteen regional plans, the Blueprint is California’s economic roadmap to create, attract, and ensure access to good-paying jobs for all Californians.
California Strategic Sectors
The Blueprint identifies the strategic sectors vital for driving California’s future growth and innovation, representing the diverse strengths of each region and organized into four distinct categories.
Strengthen
Sectors where California has an established competitive position and/or significant employment, but where there is leveling growth or wages.
Creative Economy
The creative economy has deep roots in California’s history and continues to be an engine for cultural expression and economic growth.
This sector includes:
Manufacturing
California is home to a large, highly skilled manufacturing workforce, producing goods on a large scale, typically for mass-market products and helping to support the state’s other strategic sectors.
Financial & Professional Services
Encompassing a range of industries from banking to insurance and accounting, California’s financial & professional services sector provides thousands of high-paying jobs and supports the state’s economic activities.
Tourism & Outdoor Recreation
Home to exceptional natural beauty and tourist attractions, California leads the nation in total spending on tourism.
Working Lands & Water
California’s working lands, led by top-tier farming and food production, are boosted by strong agtech investment, while growing bio- and blue economies benefit from natural resources and coastal access.
This sector includes:
Food Processing
Transport & Logistics
California’s transport & logistics sector is diverse, with investment driving greener, more equitable initiatives to continue setting the standard for sustainable and inclusive development.
Accelerate
Sectors with moderate to high projected growth that are ready for expansion, where additional investments (e.g., capital, infrastructure) could “bend the curve” to generate growth.
Aerospace & Defense
Backed by an experienced workforce, existing infrastructure and public-private funding, California is well-positioned to drive the future of aerospace & defense innovation.
This sector includes:
Aircraft
Shipbuilding
Space, Defense & Satellites
Clean Economy
California’s robust and market-driven clean economy reaches nearly every region, with collective efforts working to source 100% of its energy from renewable and zero-carbon resources by 2045.
This sector includes:
Life Sciences
Known for its history of innovative medical technology and pharmaceutical companies and anchored by leading research institutions, California is one of the national leaders in the life sciences.
This sector includes:
Medtech
Working Lands & Water
California’s working lands, led by top-tier farming and food production, are boosted by strong agtech investments, while growing bio- and blue economies benefit from natural resources and coastal access.
This sector includes:
High-Tech
California’s high-tech sector is a key driver of the state’s economy, known for its influential role in innovation and powered by top research universities and major venture capital investment.
This sector includes:
Hardware
Semiconductors & Microelectronics
Software & Services
Bet
Emerging sectors with significant investment or high strategic importance to the innovation ecosystem.
Clean Economy
California’s robust and market-driven clean economy reaches nearly every region, with collective efforts working to source 100% of its energy from renewable and zero-carbon resources by 2045.
This sector includes:
Working Lands & Water
California’s working lands, led by top-tier farming and food production, are boosted by strong agtech investments, while growing bio- and blue economies benefit from natural resources and coastal access.
This sector includes:
Bioeconomy
Blue economy / tech
High-Tech
California’s high-tech sector is a key driver of the state’s economy, known for its influential role in innovation and powered by top research universities and major venture capital investment.
This sector includes:
Artificial Intelligence
Fusion
Quantum
Robotics
Anchor
Regional anchors that are critical for attracting and supporting industry activities while often providing quality, good-paying jobs within local communities.
Childcare
Childcare is essential for many Californians, helping with the balance between work and family responsibilities and contributing to higher workforce participation among parents, particularly women.
Education & Skilled Workforce
Education plays a crucial role in developing a skilled workforce that meets industry needs. As the economy evolves, the state’s education and workforce systems must adapt to meet the demands of the future of work.
Healthcare
California’s healthcare sector employs around 2 million people, providing essential care across the state while offering pathways to accessible, good-paying job opportunities.
Housing
Affordable, quality housing provides workforce stability and allows residents to live in their preferred locations and near their workplaces.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure plays a critical role in supporting industry and community activities, providing housing and consequently offering pathways to good-paying jobs.
This sector includes:
Broadband
Transmission & Distribution
Transportation Infrastructure
Water
Pilot Sectors
Four pilot sectors have been identified to model strategies that accelerate industry attraction and expand access to good-paying jobs.
Building on strengths in research & development and a strong manufacturing workforce, California is well-positioned for the precision and advanced manufacturing activities required for each pilot sector. Over the next two years, the state will focus on these four to drive meaningful impact across regions.
California Jobs First Sector Strategies
GO-Biz is currently developing sector-specific strategies as part of the California Jobs First Initiative the following sectors: life sciences, semiconductors & microelectronics, aerospace & defense, agtech & farm equipment, quantum, and clean economy. If you would like to provide input to inform the development of a sector strategy, please do so by clicking the button below.
Agtech & Farm Equipment
Grounded in California’s strengths in agricultural production and food processing, the state leads the country in agtech and farm equipment technologies.
Life Sciences
Known for its history of innovative medical technology and pharmaceutical companies and anchored by leading research institutions, California is one of the national leaders in the life sciences.
Semiconductors & Microelectronics
California has the most semiconductor manufacturing establishments and jobs in the U.S., with multiple regions prioritizing the subsector, and innovation driving global impact.
Space, Defense, & Satelites
By leveraging its experienced workforce, existing infrastructure, and public-private funding, California is poised to launch into the future of space and satellite development and manufacturing.
California’s 13 Jobs First Regions
Ensuring that regional priorities are reflected in the Blueprint is paramount to the work of California Jobs First. Meet the regions to learn more about their unique assets and goals.
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