Catherwood LibraryILR School

Faced with high energy prices, the lack of local banks large enough to underwrite serious industrial development and expansion on a large scale, and a nationwide decline in the importance attributed to manufacturing, California?s manufacturing sector is struggling. Although most of California?s manufacturers have only ten employees and few have more than 1,000, in Los Angeles alone they employ over 600,000 workers---putting LA on par with the leader in US manufacturing employment, Chicago. The LA County Economic Development Corporation?s chief economist, Jack Kyser, argues that if politicians do not place a greater emphasis on vocational training and aid to manufacturing, California will witness increasing income polarization and class friction as high paying blue-collar jobs disappear.