Menu

Economic Development

Site Menu

Jobs & Education

The Jobs and Education Working Group meets every third Thursday of the month to discuss ongoing initiatives and review community needs. Focused on improving educational outcomes and expanding job opportunities, this group collaborates with stakeholders to develop programs that support workforce readiness, career development, and equitable access to education for Promise Zone residents.

Resources 

More Resources

  1. Job Training and Employment Services:
  2. Education
  3. Counseling and Mentorship
  4. Early Childhood

Impact 

Youth-Led Career Expo Connects Over 180 Students with Employers and Opportunities

March 26, 2024 - The 2nd Annual Youth-Led Career Expo brought in about 200 students from the Promise Zone and over 40 vendors who actively hire young people. Through our partners, students were also able to practice mock interviews, have their resume reviewed, hear two panels of young professionals, get a professional headshot, and win raffle prizes. Thirteen organizations and businesses provided over $21,000 in sponsorships, including UCSD Division of Extended Studies, which covered all facility and A/V costs. The expo received news coverage from KUSI, Fox 5 San Diego, KGTV, and KPBS. 

Promise Zone Connects with Foster Youth at Career & Resource Fair

September 14, 2024 - The San Diego Promise Zone participated in Just in Time Foster Youth’s Career & Resource Fair: Pathways to Financial Power Conference. During this event, Promise Zone representatives engaged with participants, provided information about the Promise Zone, promoted an open AmeriCorps position, and invited them to the upcoming P.O.W.E.R. Hour career workshop in October.

P.O.W.E.R. Hour Workshop Prepares Young Adults for Career Success

October 17, 2024 - The Jobs & Education Working Group hosted the first P.O.W.E.R. Hour career workshop, Put Your Best Foot Forward: Presenting Yourself to Employers, on Thursday, Oct. 17, at Outside the Lens. 28 educators, service providers, hiring professionals, and aspiring young professionals attended and engaged in an intimate evening with a resume building workshop, lesson on online portfolios, mock interview and networking session with professionals, and headshots with a mobile closet. 

The City of San Diego Receives its Promise Zone Designation in June 2016

June 2016 - The San Diego City Council officially ratified the Promise Zone designation agreement, approving a 10-year designation ordinance to formalize long-term investment and collaboration. The same month, California Volunteers awarded a planning grant to the City to support the hiring of a planning and implementation consultant, who will work closely with the five Promise Zone Working Groups to develop the San Diego Promise Zone Plan.

Grant Awarded to Create 120 Livable Wage Jobs in the Promise Zone

2017 - Partnership for Environmental Progress was awarded $780,800 from the Department of Health and Human Services to collaborate with Uprise Energy in creating 120 full-time, permanent jobs with livable wages for low-income residents in the San Diego Promise Zone.

SDPZ Collaborates Hosts a Joint Meeting with DEEP

2017 - SDPZ staff hosted a joint meeting with the Diamond Educational Excellence Partnership’s Zero to Five Working Group, a collective impact initiative focused on place-based, high-quality early childhood services and literacy development. 

Building an Educational Pipeline to Advanced Manufacturing Careers

2018 - The Jobs and Education Working Groups developed an educational pipeline guiding Opportunity Youth into advanced manufacturing careers. This initiative specifically aimed to connect young professionals with job opportunities at NAASCO, which committed to hire from within the San Diego Promise Zone.

Career Pathways Expo Connects Opportunity Youth to High-Demand Industries

May 2019 - The Jobs and Education Working Groups collaborated to host a Career Pathways Expo for Opportunity Youth and high school seniors. The event brought together 72 youth to engage with professionals from high-demand, good-paying industries, including construction and building trades, advanced manufacturing, and information and communication technology (ICT). Additionally, 22 service providers attended to share apprenticeship and vocational training opportunities. As a direct result, at least three attendees enrolled in an apprenticeship program, demonstrating the expo’s impact in creating tangible career pathways for young professionals.

Expanding Digital Equity and Connectivity in the Promise Zone

2021 - The Jobs and Education Working Group has been a key partner in the City of San Diego’s Digital Equity Working Group and the SD Access 4 All initiative, working to bridge the digital divide in the Promise Zone. The group hosted Digital Inclusion workshops to gather community feedback on digital access needs and existing program performance.

As a result, Promise Zone staff partnered with the Department of IT to bring onboard Pillars of the Community as an outreach partner, supporting the enrollment of unconnected San Diegans in the federal Emergency Broadband Benefit program. Community input also led to the expansion of public Wi-Fi across 19 locations in the Promise Zone, including Chicano Park and Euclid Avenue Station.

Through SD Access 4 All, residents have checked out 410 Chromebooks and 900 mobile Wi-Fi hotspots, increasing digital access for underserved communities. Additionally, Promise Zone partner Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation collaborated with Cox Communications to provide free indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi at the Joe and Vi Jacobs Center, further strengthening connectivity within the Zone.

Reviving In-Person Engagement with the Youth-Led Career Expo

April 2023 - The San Diego Promise Zone hosted its first in-person event since the COVID-19 pandemic, "Your Future, Now: A Youth-Led Career Expo." Leading up to the event, the Jobs and Education Working Group dedicated its early 2023 meetings to strategic planning.

The Career Expo brought together nearly 50 employers offering full-time and part-time jobs, as well as internships, and welcomed over 200 students. Attendees also gained career insights from two youth-led panels featuring young professionals. Additionally, Computers 2 Kids and SD Access 4 All provided a drawing for 50 laptops, equipping students with essential tools for their professional journeys.

 

Meetings 

February 20 Thursday

Jobs & Education Working Group Meeting

2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Join us to discuss ongoing initiatives, set new objectives, and collaborate on projects within the Promise Zone. Open to residents, community advocates, and partner organizations.

Join Meeting Here | Register for Future Meetings Here

Meeting Minutes

Stay Connected

Interested in receiving regular updates, meeting invitations, and exclusive resources relevant to the Housing Affordability Working Group?

Join Our Working Group

San Diego Promise Zone

Upcoming Meeting

2:30 Pm | February 20