If it seems like the manufacturing sector has a split personality these days, you’re not imagining it. Overall hiring remains below previous highs; some subsectors continue to shed jobs, while those attracting new investment are posting steady and in some cases, strong job gains (Source: MTC Vital Signs, 2026).
Current economic conditions have been difficult for many Bay Area and California employers. During just the first two months of this year, there have been a total of eleven (11) WARN Notices filed by East Bay employers affecting more than 1,000 jobs, a list that includes well-known companies such as Lucid Motors, Raley’s, and Workday. At the same time, demographic pressures are adding to future labor demand. As of 2022, 40% of U.S. manufacturing workers were 55 or older; meaning a significant share of the workforce will soon need to be replaced (Source: U.S. Census Bureau).
Recent changes in state law have also placed additional requirements on California companies to explain how they will support workers who are laid off and if they will work with their local workforce development board to coordinate outplacement and other services. These new requirements to engage with local workforce development boards are designed to help employers navigate reduction-in-force issues by providing them with no-cost resources and services to their soon-to-be former employees.
What does all of this mean for your business? In a nutshell, some companies’ talent losses could be your gain. For decades, companies of a certain size have been required to report layoffs – including job titles – to local workforce development agencies. These organizations know how to strategically identify job seekers in the region’s talent pool and often already have personal contacts with many of them. Their staff go on-site to meet with highly skilled workers who are being laid off due to no fault of their own – any number of them could be your next great hire!
Unlike the wider pool of online applicants, candidates connected to these services already understand the high cost of living in the Bay Area and want to stay here–but they may not know about openings at your company if you aren’t connected to this no-cost regional network called EASTBAYWorks, a partnership of the region’s four workforce development boards with a mission to provide tools and resources to employers and job seekers. While some of these workers are likely among the hundreds of people who click “Apply Now” via an online platform, working with your local workforce development boards will help you differentiate them from other applicants.
Now is a strategic time for companies with open positions to connect with their local Workforce Development Board, which is charged with keeping track of local layoffs and can help extend connections to our region’s diverse and highly skilled local talent pipeline.
For more information or an introduction to your local Workforce Development Board, email EASTBAYWorks’ Regional Manufacturing Careers Specialist, Claire Michaels, at cmichaels@ehsd.cccounty.us.