Healthcare providers are among the County’s largest employers

Kaiser Permanente has more than 1,100 physicians and 9,000 employees in San Bernardino County. Loma Linda University employs more than 17,000. Arrowhead Regional Medical Center has more than 4,000 workers. While many of the nearly 125,000 healthcare workers in the County are employed by small companies, or are themselves entrepreneurs, there is no denying the huge impact major hospitals and health providers have when it comes to providing career and economic advancement opportunities. Others include San Antonio Regional Hospital (more than 3,000 employees), Inland Empire Health Plan (more than 2,000) and Community Hospital of San Bernardino (1,400).

According to Lightcast’s San Bernardino Target Sector Intelligence Report, the average wage at a General Medical and Surgical Hospital in the County is $86,910.

Every April, Kaiser Permanente hosts several hundred high school students at its Fontana campus to learn about the multitude of career opportunities in healthcare. Shown here are students from the 2023 cohort, learning about Kaiser’s helipad.

Message from the Chair

A robust healthcare industry and the jobs it creates matter on multiple levels

William Sterling

WDB Chair

We hope you have enjoyed our series of industry spotlights, using data from our recently commissioned San Bernardino Target Sector Intelligence Report, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the California Employment Development Department and other sources.

This month’s newsletter focuses on the healthcare industry, and its emergence as a premier economic and employment driver for San Bernardino County and the Inland Empire. That matters not just for the good-paying jobs it creates and the economic diversity it brings, but for the health and well-being of this dynamic region we are fortunate to be a part of. As the IE continues to grow, adding another 1 million people over the next quarter century, the demand for healthcare services rises proportionally, ensuring that we have access to essential medical services and preventive care, and that we’re able to meet any and all public health challenges head on.

At the San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board, we are grateful for the outstanding healthcare providers and medical personnel across our county and pledge to do everything in our power to make sure this critical industry is able to continue meeting the needs of our fast-growing region.

Monthly Labor Market Update

San Bernardino County’s labor force continues to grow, up more than 5,000 during January and more than 8,000 year over year. Employment levels, meanwhile, have remained relatively steady during that time, resulting in a net increase in the unemployment rate. The biggest employment gains, year over year, were in Healthcare and Social Assistance, up 20,600 from January 2023.

Growing up in Phoenix, kids quickly learned there was an opportunity to make a little money by mowing a yard, trimming a palm tree or cleaning up weeds. It was only a matter of knocking on doors and asking. By trial and error, we found initiative and a willingness to work would be rewarded. My first real summer job was as a laborer on a construction site. The project was 6.5 miles from my house and since I was 14, my bicycle was the only option. My responsibilities included scrapping out residential units after frame, after drywall and after trim. Every task culminated with a broom or a shovel. But as I worked, I watched everything and was fascinated by every step from trenching to roofing. I learned two things, I needed better skills if I wanted to trade my broom for a hammer, but most importantly, I discovered what would become a lifelong passion of building.

Local employers will participate in several hiring events at the County’s America’s Job Centers of California (AJCCs) and other venues in the coming weeks:

Wednesday, March 20, 2024: Resource event, San Bernardino County Resource Fair, 950 Front St., Needles, CA 92363. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Thursday, March 28, 2024: Hiring event, High Desert Hiring Event, Destiny Christian Church,

14380 Amargosa Rd. Victorville, CA 92392.

10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Thursday, April 23, 2024: Hiring event, Chaffey College Chino Community Center, 5890 College Park Ave. Chino, CA 91710.

10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Thursday, April 25, 2024: Hiring event, Mall of Victor Valley, 14400 Bear Valley Road, Suite 735, Victorville, CA 92392. 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

WDB hosts free virtual seminars throughout the week to help job seekers on topics such as interviewing skills, resume building and navigating the employment resources that are available. If you know of anyone who could use this valuable assistance, a calendar of upcoming sessions is available here.

In the meantime, here are some upcoming events and release dates:

Friday, March 22, 2024: California Employment Development Department releases its February jobs report.

Friday, April 5, 2024: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its March jobs report.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024: WDB Committee meetings, 290 N. D St., Suite 600, San Bernardino, CA 92415. 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Friday, April 19, 2024: California Employment Development Department releases its March jobs report.

• WIOA Title I-financially assisted programs or activities are an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. For federal funding disclosure information, visit: workforce.sbcounty.gov/about/ffd/