CEO Leadership Alliance Orange County

Create an inclusive, premier innovation ecosystem in OC with a focus on talent and capital.

Building a Vibrant OC Innovation Ecosystem through Talent & Capital: We’re investing where we believe there will be the greatest impact.

Through initiatives focused on talent and capital, we will close critical skill and talent gaps and attract new investment – to connect more of our residents with well-paid jobs that provide a living wage here in OC and to fuel economic growth and greater prosperity for all OC residents for years to come.

Over the past year, CLAOC has deepened its employer-led, cross-sector initiatives, creating measurable impact for both talent and the regional economy:

Expanding the Talent Pipeline: CLAOC is on target to deliver 650+ career experiences in 2026 (500 high touch and 150 medium touch), and demand keeps climbing, e.g., 1,550 applications for 215 slots in one popular program this year. More than 2,000 students have now connected with 37 leading Orange County employers through our career experiences, internships, and mentoring.Our OC Fellows program, a two-year professional development program for top early-career talent, has maintained a 90%-plus retention rate across more than 250 professionals building their careers here in OC.

Engaging Pacific Life as Mentors: This fall, early career professionals from Pacific Life will volunteer to mentor college students through our structured mentoring program. The program includes three structured mentor meetings, targeted CLAOC career coaching, employer exposure, and PeopleGrove as the central platform for students and mentors.

Strengthening Sector Initiatives: Our Healthcare Coalition is now active with six leading providers (City of Hope Orange County, Kaiser Permanente Orange County, Hoag, Rady Children's Health, CalOptima Health, and UCI Health), addressing critical regional shortages among radiologic and surgical technologists. This employer-designed coalition is the template we plan to replicate for additional sectors
Building the AI Innovation Ecosystem: Through our AI in OC initiative, we released the 2026 AI Talent Brief and delivered AI upskilling across sectors ranging from aerospace to water management, reinforcing OC's standing as an innovation talent hub.

Advancing Our Strategic Plan: Looking ahead to 2030, we have identified and are piloting the initiatives to scale our impact. The goal is to impact 20,000 individuals reflective of OC demographics, with 30% placed into internships and jobs. In 2027, CLAOC is targeting 600+ people placed in jobs and 3,400 engaged across our programs.

CLAOC requests support for programs to build the Orange County talent pipeline through the OC Fellows future leaders program, Career Exploration Experiences (micro-internships for high school, community college, and university students), or the AI Talent Lab (prepares talent for careers in emerging technologies).

Orange County, CA