BAKO TOPS IN MANUFACTURING JOBS

A new report shows the city that had the most growth in manufacturing jobs is Bakersfield.The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the metro area with the most growth in the U.S. over the past fifteen years is Bakersfield. Kern Economic Development Vice President Cheryl Scott says the key has been diversifying what is made locally. Scott says Kern County’s cost of living, cost of doing business and workforce availability are keys to why manufacturing jobs grew by twenty-five percent while all other California cities saw declines. Los Angeles has lost about one-third of its manufacturing jobs in that time and Silicon Valley lost 31 percent. Charleston, South Carolina is right behind Bakersfield with 24.9 percent growth.

Sean Michael Lisle