Employers across the state consistently cite workforce readiness as a top priority, emphasizing the need for graduates who not only have the necessary technical skills but also are career ready. As the largest public four-year university system in the nation, the CSU is uniquely positioned to support California’s economic competitiveness through workforce development. Nearly half of all bachelor’s degrees in California are awarded by the CSU in disciplines directly tied to the state’s evolving workforce needs.
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Over 1 million educators work in California, mostly in California’s pre-K-12 school districts and are a vital part of the state’s workforce. The CSU prepares over 7,700 new teachers annually. A wide range of credentialing pathways are offered, including multiple subject, single subject, education specialists, and bilingual authorization.
With dozens of national and state parks, beaches, and world-class attractions, California is known as a travel destination, making the tourism industry an economic powerhouse for the state.
California’s health care industry is the largest and the state’s fastest growing. With needs increasing for medical services, behavioral health support, nursing care, and public health infrastructure, the state requires a strong and steady source of trained, compassionate and community-connected professionals.
California is known worldwide as the epicenter for media production, the arts and entertainment. Without trained and innovative workers, the state cannot maintain its leadership in this rapidly evolving sector. The CSU is a key contributor to California’s entertainment workforce pipeline.
Business and professional services provide the foundation for the state’s industries and organizations. The industry drives innovation and global competitiveness, and it enables other industries in the state such as health care, manufacturing and finance to function efficiently and grow.
California relies on its leaders and policymakers, the majority of whom were prepared at the CSU. Complementary to state and local government agencies, California employed nearly 117,000 full-time law enforcement personnel, resulting in one of the larger law enforcement workforces in the country, which is reflective of the state’s significant population and complex judicial needs.
California’s engineering industry is a global leader. It’s large, strategically diversified, innovation-driven and globally influential. Whether in semiconductors, biotech, aerospace or robotics, the state offers unmatched opportunities for engineers.