SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom, alongside the California Jobs First Council, has announced an $80 million investment to support eleven economic development initiatives across the state. These projects are strategically aligned with California’s priority industry sectors and span seven economic regions and eighteen counties. The funding aims to strengthen local economies by fostering job creation and supporting industries poised for long-term growth.
“This isn’t just about planning for the future — we’re actively investing in communities right now,” said Governor Newsom. “These funds will translate into tangible opportunities: well-paying positions, upgraded infrastructure, and locally driven innovation that empowers every region of California.”
The funding is part of a two-phase strategy under the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint, which allocates $125 million total to advance key sectors labeled as “Accelerate” or “Bet” industries. This first round supports four regional project clusters, each focused on a distinct sector, with expectations to generate over 23,000 jobs statewide.
In the aerospace and defense sector, $16,951,467 will support two initiatives on the Central Coast aimed at modernizing infrastructure and expanding workforce development. The agtech and farm equipment sector will receive $28,632,344 across four projects in Northern and Central California, targeting training programs, ecosystem building, and infrastructure upgrades. An additional $10,367,000 is directed toward strengthening the bioeconomy in the North San Joaquin Valley, while $23,920,000 will fund four life sciences projects in Los Angeles County to enhance research capacity and industry support systems.
Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to the Governor and Director of GO-Biz, emphasized the significance of community-led development: “Today marks a turning point — years of collaboration are now yielding real outcomes. These investments reflect our commitment to empowering local strengths and ensuring equitable economic advancement across all regions.”
This latest round builds upon $182 million previously distributed to 13 regional hubs to design tailored economic strategies. The grassroots model has demonstrated effectiveness in stimulating innovation and regional resilience. Encouraged by early progress, the California Jobs First Council is accelerating the second phase of funding, moving its launch from January 2026 to October 2025.
Separately, the Department of Industrial Relations’ Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) is awarding more than $94 million this year to expand apprenticeship access, aiming to serve 52,000 individuals. Recent allocations include $26 million for construction apprenticeships targeting underrepresented groups, $20 million for building trades training, and $15.4 million for youth programs connecting unemployed or disengaged young people to healthcare and education careers.
These efforts align with the state’s Master Plan for Career Education, which seeks to engage 500,000 apprentices by 2029, reinforcing California’s position as a national leader in workforce development and economic innovation.
— news from California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (.gov)
— News Original —
California awards $80 million to drive economic growth and spur job creation across the state
SACRAMENTO — Today, Governor Newsom and the California Jobs First Council announced $80 million in funding to support eleven projects across California. Projects are aligned with the state’s strategic sectors and located in seven economic regions and eighteen counties. The funding continues the Governor’s work to create more family-supporting jobs and prioritize industry sectors for future growth n n“We’re not just talking about creating jobs and growing our economy – we’re putting real dollars to work right now in communities across California. These investments will build momentum and deliver measurable progress in the months and years ahead, providing regions in every corner of the state with new tools to create good-paying jobs and strengthen local industries from the ground up.” n n— Governor Gavin Newsom n nToday’s awards are part of a two-phased approach to distribute a total of $125 million in implementation funding to projects that advance the “Accelerate” or “Bet” sectors, as outlined in the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint. n n“Today marks a major milestone for California Jobs First – the moment when years of planning and collaboration turn into real projects, real jobs, and real impact. These awards reflect our shared commitment to a bottom-up, community-driven approach that builds on local strengths, drives innovation, and ensures every region across California has the opportunity to thrive.” – Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to the Governor and Director of GO-Biz, and Stewart Knox, Secretary of the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency n nRound one of this funding is being awarded to four project clusters as part of the Jobs First Regional Investment Initiative, each focused on a different sector. In total, these projects are expected to support more than 23,000 jobs across California. n nAerospace & Defense: $16,951,467 was awarded to two projects designed to provide ecosystem support and uplift the aerospace & defense sector’s infrastructure and workforce in the Central Coast. n nAgtech & Farm Equipment: $28,632,344 was awarded to four projects intended to strengthen the agtech & farm equipment sector, targeting workforce development, ecosystem support, and infrastructure for the North State, Redwood Coast, North San Joaquin Valley, Central San Joaquin Valley and Southern Border Regions. n nBioeconomy: $10,367,000 was awarded to provide ecosystem support and bolster the bioeconomy sector’s infrastructure in the North San Joaquin Valley Region. n nLife Sciences: $23,920,000 was awarded to four life sciences projects in Los Angeles County, aimed at providing infrastructure and ecosystem support. n nSee full award details here n nCalifornia Jobs First: A bold plan, realized locally n nIn February, Governor Newsom released the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint – a new economic vision for California’s future. The Blueprint, which is being implemented by the nine state agencies on the California Jobs First Council, outlines key initiatives to support regional growth, invest in 21st century job training, create an attractive environment for job creators and strengthen California’s innovation economy – all to help increase access to good-paying jobs for Californians. n nToday’s implementation investments build on the $182 million already distributed to the 13 Jobs First regions in recent years to design and pilot projects tailored to the unique needs of their local communities. This grassroots funding approach has proven to be a powerful tool in driving economic growth and fostering innovation at the community level by empowering regions to prioritize what impacts them most. n nWhat comes next n nGiven the momentum gained by many regions and industry-focused coalitions across the state, the California Jobs First Council is expediting the timeline for the second round of implementation funding, which will kick off in October 2025 rather than January 2026. n nUpdates on timing and the RFP can be found here, and you can follow California Jobs First here to stay updated on the latest developments. n nCreating jobs statewide n nThrough the Master Plan for Career Education, Governor Newsom aims to create additional pathways to good paying jobs by serving 500,000 apprentices by 2029. To reach this goal, the Department of Industrial Relations and its Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) is awarding over $94 million this year to boost access to apprenticeships, and this funding aims to serve 52,000 apprentices and pre-apprentices. n nIn August, DAS awarded $26 million in Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship grants to 25 construction apprenticeship programs to increase access to construction careers for women and disadvantaged communities. The first rounds of the ERiCA Grant served 1,087 apprentices and 222 pre-apprentices. n nIn July, DAS announced $20 million in new California Apprenticeship Council Training Funds, which will help to support the training of over 36,000 building trades apprentices. n nIn June, DAS awarded $15.4 million in California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship (COYA) grants to 29 youth apprenticeship programs. The funds will align youth who are often out of school or unemployed with pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs that can lead to employment in high-demand fields, such as healthcare and education, setting them on a path to upward mobility and higher earning power. n nMaintaining California’s economic dominance