Job Connect Plus - career literacy support for the creative and technology workforce

Access to tech and creative industry employment

San Fernando Valley

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

The Los Angeles region has faced a steady decline in the tech and creative industry jobs for over a decade, as productions relocate to other states and countries seeking tax incentives and lower costs. Since 2022, the region has seen its sharpest employment declines, driven by industry strikes, economic shifts, and increased competition. With local opportunities dwindling, job seekers face mounting challenges, making workforce development initiatives like Job Connect Plus not just valuable but essential.
As a regional economic hub, the City of Burbank has taken a proactive stance to sustain and grow employment opportunities. Despite a strong industry presence, many job seekers—including students, early-career professionals, and those transitioning into and out of media careers—struggle to access opportunities and build essential connections. The Job Connect Plus program addresses this gap and provides the tools and support that expands access to tech and creative industry employment.

Launched in Fall 2023, Job Connect Plus is a 12-week, cohort-based workforce development program at the Burbank Central Library and designed to meet the evolving employment needs of adult job seekers serving individuals in the Los Angeles region. The program offers one-on-one personalized career literacy skills through guidance from contracted career navigators; structured group instruction on job readiness; goal-oriented support; and additional ongoing, monthly networking sessions built around a support group model.
JCP fills a critical gap in traditional workforce services by meeting individuals where they are in their career journey, whether its re-entering the workforce, pursuing new careers or training, or navigating the job market after a long-term or abrupt layoff. While the program is open to all sectors, due to the high concentration of work in and around Burbank, 80% of participants are tech and creative entertainment professionals affected by major industry turmoil such as mass layoffs and strikes, as well as individuals underserved by conventional systems, such as older workers experiencing age discrimination, stay-at-home parents returning to work after career gaps, English language learners, and immigrants with international experience. Through consistent one-on-one support and with instructional sessions, participants build resumes, prepare for interviews, learn networking strategies, and gain clarity about career goals and transitions.

Already experiencing proven success as an impactful pilot program (2023-2025), continuing Job Connect Plus will stimulate the local regional economy to retain and expand key industries, foster job growth, and support businesses with skilled and quality talent. JCP’s intensive program structure is the first of its kind, in which direct investment is placed on individuals and consists of key elements that drive participant success and long-term workforce outcomes.
Long-term impact will ensure that individuals can navigate and pivot the ever-evolving tech and creative landscapes and that the region remains a thriving hub for creative talent and economic opportunity. Further expansion of the program is desired, as this model can be scaled and replicated across sectors and industries. As a American's Job Center of California site that regularly convenes with workforce and social service sector professionals, JCP staff is poised to replicate this throughout the Los Angeles region.