On Friday, a new career center opened in Chula Vista.
The San Diego Workforce Partnership relocated their career center to H Street in Chula Vista.
“The intention is for us to create access by meeting people where they’re at so that everybody has a fair chance for an opportunity when they’re coming through that front door,” said San Diego Workforce Partnership, President & CEO, Rachel Bereza.
San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre, Chula Vista Mayor John McCann and more were in attendance for the grand opening.
The center has a history of connecting San Diegans with jobs, and they plan to expand on their work.
Around 70,000 people are served each year, with a high percentage of those people landing jobs, according to Bereza.
“Aside from the number of workshops we hold, the number of people we see every year, how many people are getting jobs? What percentage of people are actually getting jobs? And we’re up between about 70 and 80 percent at any given time,” Bereza said.
The unemployment rate in San Diego County is 5%, and it is higher in some parts of the county.
“As a result of the weak economy, things like this employment center would be helpful, particularly in the South Bay. The southern communities tend to have higher unemployment rates than the northern and the coastal areas and so there’s a particular need then for employment aid in the South Bay,” University of San Diego, Economics Professor, Alan Gin, Ph.D. said.
The center’s relocation will continue to address rising joblessness, long commutes and workforce gaps in the South Bay, The San Diego Workforce Partnership said in a statement.