In the last two decades, California has become synonymous with the technology boom. Silicon Valley offers the latest and greatest in electronics, providing headquarters for tech juggernauts like Google, Apple, Cisco and more. Well, with all do respect to Silicon Valley, it can be all too easy to get distracted by the latest innovations and miss out on the real mover and shaker of California: manufacturing! Here are some reasons why you should keep an eye out for the Golden State’s hottest industry:
- Manufacturing growth is up. In the last decade, manufacturing output has increased 26.3 percent, according to the 2013 National Association of Manufacturers’ state data. The output has continued to rise well beyond the national average, which is about 17.1 percent.
- $$$ for manufacturing workers. The average annual compensation in manufacturing is over $84,000, compared to the $49,900 average in the nonfarm sector. Whether you’re just entering the workforce or are considering a career change, the time to get into manufacturing is now!
- Manufactured exports are a huge benefit. These exports support 24 percent of the state’s manufacturing jobs, which amounts to about 737,000 jobs total. And the increase in exporting has only continued to grow, outpacing even the state’s own economy by 60 percent. If you’re a CA manufacturer who is interested in exporting, click here to learn about the ExporTech program.
- Silicon Valley is actually working to manufacturers’ benefit. Beacon Economics recently published an article stating that the manufacturing of computer and electronic products in California make up nearly one-quarter of all computer and electronic manufacturing worldwide. Furthermore, 21 percent of the nation’s exports of computer and electronic products come from California alone, and the Golden State employs 25 percent of the nation’s computer and electronic manufacturing workers.
These are just some of the many ways California is benefiting from its manufacturing businesses…and the pros seem to be multiplying every day! Download our California Manufacturing Fact Sheet to see more stats. To stay up to date with CA manufacturing news, connect with the Made in California social media pages follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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