Every day, as the CEO of Working Wardrobes, I see how desperately Orange County residents are in need of rebuilding their careers to obtain a higher wage and reliable work to support themselves and their families. In Southern California, a livable income for a family of four is over $98,000.¹ To make ends meet, individuals must take on multiple jobs, forcing families to work long days in jobs that don’t cover the cost of living here.
Many industries are growing as the world shifts, and those industries have an abundance of rewarding, reliable, and high-wage jobs. Working Wardrobes aims to prepare qualified individuals to fill the positions of the growing market.
Which Growing Job Industries are Critical in Orange County Right Now?
The residual effects of the past few years can still be felt across southern California — both in the growing joblessness among residents and in the popular industries. Effective, compassionate, and innovative healthcare will always be in demand. Healthcare jobs are expected to rise 16% between 2020 and 2030.² The healthcare industry is full of jobs seeking qualified individuals to enter its various subfields.
Technology is a rapidly growing industry, with no projections of slowing down. The median income for tech jobs was $97,430 in May 2021³, which makes technology a lucrative opportunity for those wanting to enter a sustainable, living-wage field.
These worlds come together in the form of healthcare technology — a mushrooming industry that is creating jobs faster than other industries in manufacturing, including employment opportunities in small businesses.⁴ Medtech jobs ripple out, creating additional jobs, meaning that the field has ample opportunities for entry.
How is Working Wardrobes Rebuilding Careers for Aspiring Professionals Entering Critical Industries?
Working Wardrobes partners with industry leaders to help job seekers transform their current skill sets into one suited for critical need industries. For example, Working Wardrobes develops programs, training, and partnerships to help job seekers enter the healthcare industry in jobs like medical assistants.
Working Wardrobes develops job seekers for jobs in IT, data analytics, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and more. Job seekers can partner with industry employers and leaders through training and career development.
Support Aspiring Orange County Professionals Through the Rebuilding Careers Program
Working Wardrobes programs that can prepare clients for these growing industries are powered by donors, volunteers, corporations, individual connectors, and more. Job seekers can prepare for the dignity of work with the soft skills training, IT certification, one-on-one job coaching, interview preparation, networking, and much, much more that Working Wardrobes offers!
You can support job seekers when you donate, volunteer, become a partner for careers, offer training, making connections, and so much more. Join our mission to bring The Power of a Paycheck ™ to people across southern California. Support our clients when you visit www.workingwardrobes.org/support-our-clients/
About Working Wardrobes
Working Wardrobes is Orange County’s foremost workforce readiness nonprofit, providing the tools to job seekers, individuals, young adults, and Veterans so they can achieve the dignity of work. Founded in 1990 by Jerri Rosen, Working Wardrobes has been serving Southern California for over 31 years by providing assessments, job training, career placement, and wardrobe services to more than 115,000 clients to overcome barriers to employment and achieve The Power of a Paycheck™. For more information, please visit www.workingwardrobes.org
- MIT
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Advanced Medical Technology Association