Top Newsom Economic Advisor Shares Insights on Future Workforce Initiative

When it comes to the nature of work in California, change is the name of the game. How well we adapt to that change will have major implications for California’s economic competitiveness for decades to come. That was the primary takeaway of a discussion this week with Aneesh Raman, Senior Advisor on Economic Strategy and External Affairs for the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, convened by the Bay Area Council’s Workforce of the Future Committee and hosted by partner YearUp. Raman shared the Governor’s plans to build an inclusive, resilient and sustainable economy for California. And he described how the Future of Work Commission, which Newsom created through an executive order earlier this year, will play a significant role in advancing his economic strategy. The commission is expected to focus heavily on creating a strong labor market in the era of automation and artificial intelligence.

Representatives from some of the region’s biggest employers who are dedicated to staying on the frontier of the future of work participated in a productive dialogue with Raman. Additionally, a panel of speakers featuring Jonathan Hasak of YearUp, Carrie Varoquiers of Workday, Jamie Parenteau of 42 Silicon Valley, and Scott Mauvais of Microsoft participated in a rich discussion about innovative education-to-career models. Each panelist shared unique perspectives on topics about how companies can incentivize more inclusive hiring practices and how diverse educational backgrounds create a stronger workforce. One thing is clear: collaboration among employers, educators and the state will be essential to meet the changing demands of California’s workforce. For more information on the Workforce of the Future and Gender Equity & Diversity Committees, please contact Senior Vice President Linda Bidrossian.