and commercial sectors. Continuing this symbiotic cause-and-effect cycle was increasing investment in office and industrial buildings, as well as expansion in the retail market.

Northern Los Angeles County – composed primarily of the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys – continues to be one of the fastest-growing areas of the county, boasting high levels of job creation, positive migration, production of housing and continued demand for homes, according to the California Economic Forecast. Average salaries have been rising, exceeding the rate of consumer price inflation.

The valley has become a major hub of industry and commerce – and an important source of jobs in northern Los Angeles County. It has undergone a dramatic transformation from a sleepy suburb into an important center of industry, commerce and employment. In fact, commercial real estate experts say this valley has become one of the primary economic engines in all of Los Angeles County. As more and more people have moved into the area to live, so have a diverse range of companies and employment opportunities. Thousands of new homes are already in the development pipeline, including the massive Newhall Ranch project, a planned residential community along State Route 126 that is expected to eventually be home to some 65,000 people. Originally proposed by The Newhall Land and Farming Co., the development has been delayed by a combination of factors, including the Chapter 11 reorganization of Newhall Land, Lennar Corp. and LandSource Communities Development. The reorganization, finalized in mid-2009, resulted in a new ownership group led by Lennar Corp. and five lenders – and a new debt-free company called Newhall Land Development that has indicated it is moving forward with the Newhall Ranch project. Eventually, the Newhall Ranch residential development should generate a proportional rate of growth in business, industry and employment.

The Santa Clarita Valley is a great place to do business. It has, in fact, become known as “the place to do business” in Southern California. The Kosmont Cost of Doing Business Survey put Santa Clarita on its list of the top-10 areas in Southern California that offer businesses a very low cost of operation. And, the Los Angeles Economic Development Commission has named Santa Clarita one of L.A. County’s top-5 most business-friendly cities.

Labor Market
Despite the recession and the real estate slump, technology and industry are thriving in the Santa Clarita Valley, with thousands of businesses providing jobs. Job creation has slowed, although not as much as other similar-sized communities in the region..

The manufacturing industry, retail trade, lodging and food services, administrative support and government sectors represent most of the valley’s employment. Other sectors, in descending order in terms of total jobs, are construction; health care and social assistance; professional, scientific and technical; wholesale trade; and arts, entertainment and recreation. The Santa Clarita Valley is projected to be home to the largest concentration of business and industry in Southern California by 2010.

The retail trade and manufacturing sectors represent the largest level of employment. Although employment in the manufacturing sector has actually declined in recent years, it is maintaining a higher share of total employment relative to the rest of Los Angeles County, which has experienced a loss of some 150,000 jobs since 1998, according to the California Economic Forecast. Employment in the aerospace industry remains at impressive levels, led by the area’s big four companies: HR Textron, Aerospace Dynamics, ITT Aerospace Controls and Wesco Aircraft.

The outlook for northern L.A. County is remarkable, compared to the county overall. The region represents a little more than 5 percent of the county’s total population, yet it created more than 20 percent of all new jobs countywide from 2003 to 2006, according to the California Economic Forecast.

Largest Employers
Employment numbers are continually in flux, yet several big employers continue to occupy the top tier of the valley’s list of biggest employers. Six Flags California (comprising both Magic Mountain and Hurricane Harbor) has traditionally occupied the No. 1 spot, but in 2007 it fell to second place behind the William S. Hart Union High School District. The theme park’s employment fell significantly to 2,165, compared to the school district’s 2,317 employers. Six Flags California employed approximately 3,878 people in 2006. The third-largest employer is Princess Cruises, which added 250 employees for a total of 2,100. The Saugus Union School District employed 1,942 people in 2007, putting it in fourth place, while the U.S. Postal Service was the fifth-largest employer with 1,697 workers.

In a testament to local job growth, it’s interesting to note that the Santa Clarita Valley’s top firms employed 20,655 workers in 2003. That figure rose to 26,042 workers in 2007 among the valley’s top-50 employers, which employ 30 percent of the area’s wage and salary workforce.

Wages & Salaries
The good news for wage earners is that the average salary in the Santa Clarita Valley has risen dramatically over the past decade. The average salary in 2007 rose 3.8 percent to just over $40,000.

By comparison, the average salary stood at just under $24,500 in 1992. The growth in salaries has been significant and steady. The average salary jumped 6.6 percent in 2001 and 3.6 percent in 2003.

The growth in salaries in the combined Santa Clarita and Antelope Valley region exceeds salary growth in all of Los Angeles County. Between 2003 and 2004, the average income per worker rose 14 percent in the construction sector, 13 percent in utilities, 12 percent in wholesale trade, 12 percent in transportation and warehousing, 11 percent in real estate, and 7 percent in both the federal and state governments.

The employment sector with the highest average pay in 2007 was mining, averaging $101,169, followed by utilities at $91,882 and wholesale trade at $83,885, according to California Economic Forecast.

Unemployment Rate
Among Los Angeles County’s 15 cities with populations of 100,000 and above, the City of Santa Clarita enjoys one of the lowest rates of unemployment. Unemployment in 2007 was substantially below that of the county, whose rate was 4.4 percent. The city’s unemployment rate of 2.7 percent is substantially lower than the unemployment rates of neighboring cities and regions, such as Palmdale (5.6 percent), Lancaster (6.4 percent), Burbank (3.6 percent), Glendale (3.8 percent) and Pasadena (3.3 percent). Unemployment rates in the City of Santa Clarita have historically remained below those of Los Angeles County. Although the city’s rate peaked in 1993 at 4.8 percent, it has consistently ranged between 2.5 percent and 4 percent, according to the California Employment Development Department.

Finding a Job
As you can see, jobs are plentiful in the Santa Clarita Valley. But you still have to prepare yourself well when looking for employment. When looking for a job, evaluate your skills and abilities and be realistic with your expectations. Despite the high number of job opportunities in the area, your experience, skill level and personal presentation matter a great deal. The first step is drafting a well-written and honest resume that highlights your experience, level of skills and significant accomplishments.

Flipping through the classifieds may be a time-honored tradition when looking for a job, but you may have better luck finding a better job utilizing your personal network of family, friends and professional associates to determine where such opportunities might be and to get your foot in the door. Informal job searches are the most popular and, in the long run, the most effective.

When called in for an interview, make sure you do your homework by researching your potential employer. It’s always best to know the company and what it does. And, of course, always “dress for success.” First impressions count, so dress conservatively.

Employment Services
Employment Counseling – The California State Employment Development Department can provide assistance without charge, including counseling, testing, job development and training, and placement. Call 255-1031 or visit the job service office at 21515 Soledad Canyon Road. You can access the online state job listing bank CalJOBS 24 hours a day at http://www.caljobs.ca.gov. The official job line in the Santa Clarita Valley is 255-4392.

Employment Agencies – As long as you have the experience and skills, employment agencies are a pretty good bet – especially if you want someone else to do the work. The Santa Clarita Valley has quite a few reputable agencies that get results. As is normally the case, you’ll most likely pay a fee for this service, although sometimes the employer picks up the tab. Make sure to read an agency’s contract carefully. You must fully understand your obligations.

Temporary Work – Some employment agencies also offer temp work, as do agencies that specialize in this area. Temp services often are helpful in finding full-time work. Temp agencies usually charge the employer. When you sign up with a temp agency, you become the agency’s employee – unless, of course, the company where you are placed takes a liking to you and hires you. Local temp agencies specialize in different areas: sales, industrial, technical, general clerical, legal, medical, executive and professional.

Valencia Learning Center
The Valley Industrial Association (formerly known as the Valencia Industrial Association) and the College of the Canyons Employee Training Institute have partnered to develop the Valencia Learning Center. The center helps local businesses and industries in transforming their companies into high-performance workplaces. The cost-effective classes include computer training, cycle time reduction, business process flow improvement, bottleneck workflow reduction and productivity barriers elimination. The classes are conducted in the Valencia Industrial Center. The Employee Training Institute has trained hundreds of local employees. Information: 294-8088.

College Resources
College of the Canyons has several departments that can help both employers and prospective employees. Its Career Center features on-line and numerous other resources, and is available to the public. And, the college’s Employee Training Institute and Center for Applied Competitive Technologies have partnered with hundreds of local companies to provide the latest, most up-to-date training. The region’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) also is headquartered at the college. It serves a 2,838-square-mile service area that includes much of the San Fernando Valley, the entire Santa Clarita Valley, and the Antelope Valley. The SBDC assists existing and prospective small business owners with free consulting and low-cost business training. Information: 259-7800.

Internet Resources
The Internet has fast become an invaluable system for locating employment. Most large companies have Web sites that contain information and job listings. You can find Internet sites by using one of the web’s many search engines or looking in the local newspaper.

America’s Job Bank (www.ajb.dni.us) provides a Job Resource Library that can guide you through your job search. Topics covered are grouped into three main categories: preparing to search, locating a job, and other job search resources.

Other Web sites you may find useful are:
Santa Clarita Valley jobs: www.scvjobs.com
California jobs: www.caljobs.ca.gov
Employment Development Department www.edd.cahwnet.gov
Monster www.monster.com
Hot Jobs: www.hotjobs.com
USA: www.usajobs.opm.gov
Yahoo: www.yahoo.com

Commuting
The Santa Clarita Valley is close to major freeways and transit lines, easing commute times. If you need to commute outside the Santa Clarita Valley, you can drive, join a carpool or ride a commuter bus or train. Metrolink commuter trains, which were introduced shortly after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, depart from the Santa Clarita station on Soledad Canyon Road, the Princessa station on Via Princessa near Sierra Highway, and the Jan Heidt station in Newhall. For information about commuting via Metrolink call 800/371-LINK (5465).

Santa Clarita Transit also offers express bus service to and from downtown Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, Century City, Westwood and the Antelope Valley. Commuter coaches are equipped with high-back seats, reading lamps and restrooms. For more about express bus fares and schedules, or for a complete Santa Clarita Transit system timetable, call 294-1BUS (1287).

Ridership on the Santa Clarita Transit system has risen dramatically over the years. It has become even more popular as fuel prices have risen, offering a more affordable mode of transit for more and more people. Local buses run approximately every 30 minutes. The fleet is now more than 75 buses strong, including Dial-a-Ride vans, a curb-to-curb service designed primarily for disabled and elderly passengers. After 6 p.m., Dial-a-Ride vans are available for everyone. City buses are served by the McBean Transfer Center, located in the Valencia Town Center vicinity. All local buses and several commuter buses arrive and depart from this central location.

You can request service to your neighborhood if demand is warranted. Requests can be made by mail to Santa Clarita Transit, 25663 Avenue Stanford, Santa Clarita, CA 91355, or by phone by calling 294-1287. For updates on fares and routes, which do change periodically, log on to http://www.santa-clarita.com/cityhall/field/transit/ or call 294-1287.

Travel Time to Work
Santa Clarita residents travel an average of 30.1 minutes to work each day.

• Los Angeles International Airport 40 miles south
• Downtown Los Angeles 35 miles southeast
• Burbank Airport 25 miles south
• Antelope Valley (Palmdale, Lancaster) 35 miles northeast
• San Fernando Valley 8 miles south
• Port of Los Angeles 60 miles south
• Port Hueneme 30 miles west

Business Groups
The Santa Clarita Valley has some dynamic and helpful business associations. They not only work for specific goals of economic development, but they encourage networking and support among individual companies.

SCV Chamber of Commerce – The Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce, which is more than 70 years old, has more than 1,500 members representing some 100,000 employees in the area. The chamber is located at 28460 Avenue Stanford in the Valencia Industrial Center. The chamber holds regular meetings, grand-opening events for new businesses, and mixers for business people to network and socialize. Information: 259-4787.

Valley Industrial Association – Formerly known as the Valencia Industrial Association, the VIA is a non-profit organization comprised of more than 300 companies, many of which are located in the Valencia Industrial Center and nearby Valencia Commerce Center. The VIA was organized to address mutual issues and support needed improvements and services within the community. The association sponsors a telecommuting center, seminars and surveys, and disseminates useful information to member businesses. Information: 294-8088.