12:00pm | Creating not just more jobs, but sustainable ones, is the stated focus of a job summit in Long Beach in less than two weeks.
“Getting Back To Work: A Summit on Job Creation in Long Beach,” is billed as a conversation with elected and workforce leaders on sustainable job creation, unemployment and the Long Beach economy.
The summit is set for Nov. 12 at 12:30 p.m. at the Hotel Maya, 700 Queensway Drive.
“The purpose of the summit is to facilitate a conversation on responsible job creation in Long Beach,” according to a statement from Long Beach City Councilman Steven Neal’s office. “Discussion topics include long and short term strategies to address unemployment, workforce development and growing the Long Beach economy.”
Neal is one of the panelists set to speak at the summit, along with workforce and elected leaders.
Likely to be a key topic during the summit is the city’s high unemployment rate. Last week the Employment Development Department released it’s monthly report, showing Long Beach unemployment rate was 13.4 percent. That’s above Los Angeles County’s 12.2 percent rate, and well above California 11.9 percent rate in September.
The summit will feature a presentation on the Long Beach jobs environment by Dean Baker, director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington D.C. Baker is expected to discuss short- and long-term strategies for job creation.
While Long Beach’s unemployment rate is down from 13.9 percent in August and 14.6 percent in July, which was a near-record level, it still lags many cities in the region and roughly 31,900 are counted as unemployed in Long Beach.
“Building a Shared Plan of Action for Good Jobs in Long Beach,” a panel discussion on job creation, is set to be moderated by Pastor Wayne Chaney, president of the Long Beach Ministerial Alliance.
Other panelists include: Robbie Hunter, executive secretary, Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building Trades Council, Congresswoman Laura Richardson, Assemblyman Warren Furitani, chair of the Select Committee on Career Technical Education and Workforce Development; Mario Cordero, a federal maritime commissioner, McDonald’s owner Lindsay Hughes; and Shaun Lumachi, chairman of the Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Board.
The event is co-sponsored by Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Board, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, The Long Beach Ministerial Alliance and the California Endowment.
Call 562-570-6137 or e-mail [email protected] to RSVP. For more information, visit www.insidedistrict9.com.
Disclosure: Long Beach Post Publisher Shaun Lumachi is chairman of the Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment board of directors.