Orange County’s engineering and computer science sectors are booming. Exceptional growth is integrated into every area of commerce, from cybersecurity and artificial intelligence to medicine and construction. All are dynamic contributors to the growth of the county’s economy.

With its relentless embrace of innovation, Orange County has established itself as one of the state’s premier regions for developing new technology and generating high-wage jobs with both wide appeal and rewarding advancement opportunities. Despite that, the region nevertheless remains well behind the curve in meeting evolving workforce demands.

Current demand for workers in technology-driven industries is impressively strong. In the field of cybersecurity, the Orange County Business Council expects employment to increase statewide by more than 20% percent from 2021 to 2026. Further, according to OCBC’s analysis for 2020-2021, the median advertised salary for jobs in the emerging sector of Artificial Intelligence was $133,000. Not to be outdone, the computer and video gaming sectors are also major growth industries, and the OCBC analysis highlights their above-average salaries.

This is the tip of a very promising iceberg. There is growing demand for qualified employees in every technology-oriented sector. Fortunately, OC’s universities have answered the market’s call with an array of innovative and targeted programs to equip graduates with skills and expertise tailored to these industries, which continue to expand and evolve at breathtaking speed.

Against that backdrop, CSU Fullerton has embarked on an ambitious expansion of its College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS). CSUF’s renovation of its “Innovation Hub” will satisfy an immediate need to accommodate ECS’s growth. In just the last 10 years, the college’s enrollment has grown by 247%, and CSUF expects continued enrollment growth as the university’s community college partners increase STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) preparation, and as high-tech industries continue to draw on the CSU as a trusted source of talented graduates.

This 157,000 square foot addition represents an approximately $135 million investment. I strongly urge my colleagues in Sacramento to support the development and funding of this vital addition to the university.

By increasing its square footage by 70 percent, the Innovation Hub will be able to provide state-of-the-art, hands-on facilities and tools for student, faculty and community research while expanding, in direct correlation to the future demands of the industries they serve, the disciplines available for study. It will include state-of-the-art “maker spaces” while offering increased opportunities for K-12 and community college partnerships. This leading-edge project will also be a useful model for educational institutions across the state.

Historically, CSU Fullerton has been among the lowest-funded of CSU’s campuses on a per-student basis. This lack of investment has implications for instruction and staffing, as well as CSU Fullerton’s ability to expand facilities and keep up with enrollment, support student success, and effectively support workforce development in our region. Despite all that, CSU Fullerton remains the No. 1 destination for community college transfer students on the basis of its well-deserved reputation for a rigorous curriculum and affordability.

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The planned development of the ECS Innovation Hub is consistent with the college’s steadfast commitment to educating a diverse student population, one that is truly reflective of the region’s residents, in the STEM fields. During my visits to campus, I’ve observed firsthand the impressive ambition and talents of these students. The university’s deep partnerships with businesses, organizations and governments provide valuable relationships for students, who secure legitimate professional networks before they graduate. CSU Fullerton currently educates more than 41,000 students and has a vast alumni community, with studies showing that more than 80% of alumni stay in our region following graduation.

Fully funding the ECS Innovation Hub will support accelerating workforce demand for decades and represents a sound investment in California’s success, one that will solidify California’s leadership position within the engineering and computer science industries.

Josh Newman represents the 29th District in the California State Senate.