Report: Aerospace employs 80,000 in tri-county region
A new report makes the case that with 7,000 companies employing some 80,000 workers, the region should be recognized as a major hub for aerospace and autonomous systems.
Called “The Central Coast: Built to Prove What’s Next,” the report catalogues a number of familiar assets and some new initiatives. The report was released by a group of economic development organizations called Uplift Central Coast, on Oct. 7.
The eco/devo group includes REACH, the Economic Development Collaborative, or EDC, and the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership.
“Each part of the Central Coast brings something different to this ecosystem,” said Bruce Stenslie, president & CEO. (Business Times Founder Henry Dubroff serves on the EDC board.)
The report details activities in Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties. In the tri-county region, it ranges from Camp Roberts, which straddles San Luis Obispo County, all the way south to Ventura County, which hosts several major employers with world-class operations, including Teledyne Technologies, AeroVironment and Naval Base Ventura County.
The naval test range off Point Mugu in Ventura County and Vandenberg Space Force Base in Lompoc, with vastly expanded launch capacity, are also major assets, according to the report, which noted AeroVironment’s recent $100 million investment into a new facility in Moorpark.
The report details a number of lesser-known activities in the aerospace and autonomous vehicle arena.
• Naval Base Ventura County, the county’s HIVE accelerator and Fathomwerx, a public-private accelerator located at the Port of Hueneme, have developed a 500-square-mile test range based in Camarillo. “It’s been getting traction with emerging autonomous vehicle companies,” said Christina Birdsey, the port’s COO.
“We’re hearing a lot of excitement from the private sector because these efforts are making resources available to entrepreneurs and the community so they can fabricate, test and collaborate. Not only does that lab have state-of-the-art equipment, but users also have access to a unique maritime domain for testing that allows for experimenting, cross-pollinating, and incredible tech transfer opportunities from commercial to military and vice versa.”
• The Paso Robles Airport is developing 1,300 acres into what it hopes to be a fully licensed spaceport operation. On Oct. 6, the city council approved a contract to proceed with developing a submission to the Federal Aviation Administration for a fully functioning spaceport license. FAA approval will make the facility attractive for aerospace jobs, according to Mark Scandallis, airport manager.
• In San Luis Obispo, Trust Automation, recognized by the Business Times at its Central Coast Innovation Awards, is expanding following a $490 million U.S. Air Force contract to deliver counter-uncrewed aircraft systems.
“The Central Coast already has an incredible foundation in this industry,” said Melissa James, president and CEO of REACH. “We have companies designing and manufacturing next-generation technologies, world-class engineering and research talent, and real-world environments where these systems can be tested and proven.”
In a statement, REACH said the report is designed as a resource “for companies, investors, policymakers, education and workforce partners and communities seeking to better understand the Central Coast’s autonomous systems and advanced air mobility ecosystem and opportunities for continued growth.”
Copies can be found at upliftcentralcoast.org/the-central-coast-prospectus/.
email: [email protected]Report: Aerospace employs 80,000 in tri-county region
