SCVEDC Blog

This past October, Ondré Seltzer, who had served as the Interim President & CEO since July 2024, was unanimously selected by the Board of Directors’ hiring committee to take on the role permanently. This decision followed a thorough and competitive search process, which was immediately succeeded by a similar search for a candidate to fill Seltzer's previous Vice President role. After another nationwide search, the SCVEDC is thrilled to announce that Natalie Vowell will assume the new Vice President of Business Development position for the Santa Clarita Valley.

The 2024 Santa Clarita Valley Economic Outlook explores a resilient and evolving local labor market characterized by growth in key industries, changing dynamics, and challenges in workforce retention. Employment and business expansion, workforce training initiatives, and business assistance and attraction remain a primary focus, supported by the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation’s (SCVEDC) integrated approach to attracting diverse business opportunities and job creation. Here are the highlights and insights on employment and workforce trends shaping the region from the 2024 Economic Outlook Book and the 2024 Economic Outlook conference this September:

Unlocking Economic Potential: A Close Look at Santa Clarita Valley's Largest Employers of 2024

In a world that often feels like a whirlwind of economic challenges and opportunities, it's always refreshing to pause and take stock of the forces that keep our communities thriving. One such driving force is the businesses and their employees that make up our diverse community. The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation (SCVEDC), an organization dedicated to fostering sustainable growth and prosperity in the Santa Clarita Valley, once again unveils its annual Largest Employer List for the Santa Clarita Valley. This list, combined with our Economic Outlook data book, helps shine a light on the vibrant economic landscape of our unique corner of Southern California.

Did you know the world's leading manufacturer and developer of drumheads and shells is headquartered right here in the SCV? Also one of the valley's largest employers, Remo moved here from North Hollywood in 1997 and has grown to over 200 employees. Last week the SCVEDC Board of Directors was given a guided tour of their 220,000 SF headquarters, where at full capacity they can make over 10,000 drums a day.

The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation is your one-stop resource for all your business needs

The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation (SCVEDC) plays a pivotal role in fostering business growth and prosperity within the region. Our overarching goals are to support the creation of high-paying jobs for our trained workforce, stimulate economic activity that grows the regional tax base, and strategically position the Santa Clarita Valley (SCV) and its businesses to better compete in the global economy. Through a multifaceted approach, the SCVEDC assists businesses with expansion within the SCV and relocation to the SCV by providing comprehensive support services tailored to their specific needs.

Over the past few months, there have been some internal staffing changes for long-standing members of the SCVEDC. Our prior Director of Business Assistance for 7 years, Sue Arellano, retired back in May and was replaced by Dr. Jey Wagner. This September also saw our previous President and CEO Holly Schroeder making her own career transition after leading the SCVEDC for over 10 years. With Dr. Wagner taking over the President and CEO role for Holly, we are pleased to announce that veteran economic developer Ondré Seltzer will be taking over Wagner’s prior role as VP of Workforce and Economic Development.

Manufacturing Day is an annual national celebration to help students discover what modern manufacturing is all about, and for years in Santa Clarita private and public organizations have come together to introduce students first-hand to how manufacturing, engineering, robotics, logistics, and quality control all play a role in shaping our world.

This year's Manufacturing Day in the SCV was certainly an iconic one. It was a day filled with excitement as the College of the Canyons unveiled its brand new Advanced Technology Center (ATC) on Thursday, October 5th. The grand opening was followed by a bustling gathering the next day, where hundreds of students and community members eagerly explored the possibilities of advanced manufacturing technologies and potential career paths.

Honoring Santa Clarita Valley's Largest Employers

The Santa Clarita Valley is a growing region with significant business opportunities, including available, state-of-the-art industrial and commercial buildings in master-planned developments. Despite the challenges of the last few years, 2023 was a successful year for many companies, and there were several attractions and expansions across our target industry clusters. Through our research for the Economic Outlook Forecast, we compiled the Santa Clarita Valley Largest Employer’s List illustrating marked growth in this past year.

The SCVEDC is excited to announce that we were recently honored for excellence in economic development by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in two distinct categories. For both the Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) Initiatives and Print Brochures categories impacting populations between 200,000 - 500,000 residents, the SCVEDC was recognized for two of last year's projects: The 2022 Business Survey, and the SCV Talent Report.

Logix Federal Credit Union provides a shining example of how a cultural commitment to employee training and career development delivers stunning results: improved morale, employee retention, and promotional advancements. In a time where businesses both large and small struggle to retain and attract needed talent, Logix has found that investing in their own employees delivers bottom-line results. Though training programs cost time and money, Logix has tapped into a wealth of financial support through state-subsidized training pathways, available through resources right here in the Santa Clarita Valley.

It's always bittersweet when you lose a coworker so beloved as Sue Arellano. For those who don't know her, Sue was the Director of Business Assistance here at the SCVEDC for over 7 years. Her impact on the businesses and the community in the Santa Clarita Valley during her tenure is impossible to quantify. Whether it was helping with permitting issues, tax credits and business incentives, or assisting with workforce and training solutions, she was always willing to fight alongside our businesses to achieve their goals. Sue has taken the next step in her life and retired after many years of hard work and commitment to our community, and we couldn't be happier for her. 

The trend of workforce shortages and a tight labor market has continued to be at the forefront of issues facing businesses. The Santa Clarita Valley has not been immune to the effects of this. We are however very ideally positioned to tackle this issue, and the SCVEDC has been collaborating extensively with a number of different organizations to find viable solutions for our local employers. Workforce development and training is more crucial than ever for economic developers engaging in business assistance and retention. To that end the EDC is excited to welcome Jey Wagner, Ed.D. as our Vice President of Workforce & Economic Development!

The SCVEDC is committed to spurring workforce training and development to empower our local labor force and help our businesses thrive. A big part of that commitment is our  close partnership with College of the Canyons and their continued efforts to provide high quality training based on current industry needs.

Where are all the workers with the relevant job skills my company needs? Most have heard or experienced this sentiment for years now, and it was only exacerbated by the labor challenges from the pandemic. The economic impact of shifting technology and skill requirements across almost all workforce areas continues to be a concern. There are simply more jobs available than there are workers with the requisite skills.

So how do we fix it? There are short term solutions to this problem, such as offering higher pay for retention or increasing flexibility in the hiring process. High schools and colleges however are investing in comprehensive career pathways to provide real-world career experience to bridge this skill gap.

Providing vital data and information is just one of the important services and resources that the SCVEDC provides to local businesses. Most prominent of these resources comes from our resident economist, Dr. Mark Schniepp. Every quarter Dr. Schniepp and the SCVEDC publish an Economic Snapshot that updates data on labor force and employment, residential and commercial real estate, hotel vacancy rates, and film activity.

In his Q4 Snapshot for 2022, Dr. Schniepp summarized the labor force and employment trends as mainly positive, but still having areas for improvement. The job creation trend was consistent throughout 2022 and our region created 5,200 jobs in 2022, the most in any year since 2004. 

Learn more about the grants, eligibility requirements, and how to apply HERE

The SCVEDC is happy to announce the release of our newest resource to help Santa Clarita Valley businesses succeed and grow.

The focus of economic development has expanded over the past months to include talent attraction and workforce development. In todays labor market, companies are doing everything they can to maintain their current staff, while simultaneously competing with other businesses for top talent.

Santa Clarita ranks top 10 in safety, as well as the 4th most ambitious and business ready city in the nation.

Santa Clarita has recently been recognized as being one of the safest cities of its size in the country, and for being one of the most business ready. While it may not seem obvious at first, these two endorsements go hand in hand. They result from deliberate efforts to grow the number and quality of jobs in the Santa Clarita Valley in order to provide great opportunities for residents.

Santa Clarita Valley’s Medical Professionals Rise to the Challenge 

There is no doubt that 2020 was a challenging year for all, but most especially those on the front lines caring for those who are gravely ill with COVID-19. It was hard to predict in March how our region would be affected, but those heading up the medical response had been preparing for something like this for a long time.

SCVEDC is Your One-Stop Resource for Business Needs 

The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation’s (SCVEDC) overarching goals are to support the creation of high-paying jobs for our trained workforce, stimulate economic activity that grows the regional tax base, and strategically position the Santa Clarita Valley (SCV) and its businesses to better compete in the global economy. SCVEDC offers many services and resources to local businesses to help the access tax credits and incentives, workforce development and training, provides vital data and information, and connects companies for networking and peer support. 

Holly Schroder named Chair of the Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board

Holly Schroeder, President and CEO of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation (SCVEDC) has been selected by fellow Workforce Development Board Commissioners to serve as Chair of the Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board (WDB).

LiveWorkSCV.com - The FREE Job Board for SCV Residents & Employers

As the economy begins the reopening process, many SCV residents have found themselves either searching for a new job after being furloughed or laid off, or are seeking a career closer to home due to continuing uncertainty. SCVEDC is here to help.

The California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) announced today to their members that SCVEDC was awarded their prestigious 2019 Award of Excellence in the Programs category for their LiveWorkSCV.com job board. CALED’s annual competition invites economic development members to submit application in four categories, with one Award of Excellence selected for each. The timing coincides with the International Economic Development Council’s Economic Development Week, designed to increase awareness for local programs that create jobs, advance career development opportunities and increase the quality of life in communities everywhere.

SCVEDC Receives CALED Award of Excellence

The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation received a significant recognition this week from the California Association for Local Economic Development and has been honored with an Award of Excellence in their Programs Category for our LiveWorkSCV.com job board

New Development = Job Creation

New development might seem undesirable to some, but there are a wide range of positive effects it can have on the local economy. A whole host of jobs are required just to build one building: contractors, managers, engineers, and inspectors are just some of the many jobs that new development requires. However, the impact of new commercial, industrial, and standard office development on job creation reaches far beyond new construction. After all, once the development is completed it isn’t finished creating jobs. Manufacturing companies, offices and retail locations need employees. These are all things that grow the local economy and help it to thrive.

Three Ways Workplace Education Can Encourage Employees

With the constantly evolution across multiple industries and even within individual jobs, it’s no surprise that learning new skills is becoming both a requirement and expectation. It’s no longer enough to go back to school; instead, learning has become a continuous process the workforce is expected to integrate into daily operations to keep up with a business’ growing needs.

Five New Year’s Resolutions for Employers

The start of a new year brings the inevitable personal New Year’s Resolutions. While those are often fleeting, this can be a great time for employers to assess their priorities and take action to build a great team. Here are my recommendations for five New Year’s Resolutions that will help strengthen your business in 2020 and beyond.

LiveWorkSCV.com by the numbers

Have you heard about LiveWorkSCV.com, the new resource from the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation? LiveWorkSCV.com is a comprehensive, highly visible job board that matches SCV career opportunities with SCV residents who want a job closer to home.

New Resource to Help SCV Employers Find Local Talent

The Santa Clarita Valley (SCV) is home to many top employers in a wide variety of industries like medical devices & biotechnology, aerospace & defense, digital media & entertainment, information technology, and advanced manufacturing. Despite the fact that SCV residents are highly skilled and often experience long commute times, local employers note that they have trouble hiring talent that lives locally, and they frequently have to cast a wide net to fill open positions. We have also found that residents of the Santa Clarita Valley lack awareness of the types of career opportunities that are offered at local companies.

New Job Skills Training Courses Offered In SCV

Santa Clarita, CA – The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation is partnering with College of the Canyons and AMS Fulfillment to offer no-cost and low-cost job skills training courses in the Valencia Commerce Center. These courses are funded by a grant from Wells Fargo.