California Economic Data Portal Launched

The California Business Roundtable announced the launch of a new interactive online resource for accessing and filtering state-specific economic data. The California Center for Jobs and the Economy (www.centerforjobs.org) allows users to access employment data by region as well as by demographics and industry sectors.

“The factual data that the Center distributes is going to give California the opportunity to assess a variety of aspects of the jobs environment and the economy, ultimately allowing for further understanding of California’s business climate,” said Tom Conley, Chairman of the California Business Roundtable, in a statement to the press.

The Center for Jobs and the Economy was created by the California Business Roundtable (a non-partisan organization comprised of the senior executive leadership of major employers throughout the state) as a stand-alone 501c(3) corporation with its own governance structure and research advisory council. Data for the Center’s site is compiled from multiple sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the California Employment Development Department and the California Department of Finance. Users can easily compare different aspects of regional economies within California, or regional industry sectors.

California has one of the world’s largest ten economies overall, and is comprised of numerous regional economies with vastly differing industrial and demographic profiles. The state is a national leader in science and engineering industries, employing almost 14 percent of all people working in these fields and home to three of the six largest high-tech industry clusters in the United States. However, there are significant differences between Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, and the San Diego area, not to mention the many other areas of the state. The new web portal is intended to more easily integrate data from multiple sources and permit a closer understanding of regional trends and variations.

“California is experiencing an uneven economic recovery,” said Rob Lapsley, President, of the California Business Roundtable. “We have developed this site to better understand what Governor Brown has referred to as the ‘two-tiered economy’ and also to help policymakers and the Administration to get a better understanding of California’s jobs situation and how it can be improved.”