Need Work? New Resource Helps Santa Monica Locals Find Jobs

SANTA MONICA, CA — If you're looking for work in the pandemic the city of Santa Monica is now offering new resources and partnering with local businesses to people on the job search.

"A new job listing is updated bi-weekly to elevate local employment opportunities and to encourage employers to hire local," city officials said in a statement.

More than 4,300 Santa Monica residents are unemployed as of December 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

That number has dropped since June 2020 when unemployment reached its peak in the wake of the pandemic with nearly 9,000 Santa Monica locals unemployed.

The city wants to use new tools to get unemployment numbers even lower and help get people back to work.

"Recent surveys of Santa Monica businesses found that 84% of businesses currently hiring prefer to hire locally, and the City wants to create as many opportunities as possible to help connect local employers with job seekers," city officials said.

“The City of Santa Monica is committed to supporting a strong and sustainable economic recovery for all in our community — our youth, our families, and our businesses alike,” Interim City Manager Lane Dilg said in a statement. “By connecting our employers to our residents, we strengthen the community ties that will hold us up as we recover together.”

Rebuilding a sustainable economy relies on hiring locals and reinvesting money back in the community, officials said.

"$7 out of every $10 spent locally stays within Santa Monica, and the City is making a strong effort to ensure that buying locally and hiring locally are at the forefront of our economic recovery," officials said.

The move to hire local is part of the City of Santa Monica’s Economic Recovery Task Force, which is working to accelerate community efforts to recover from COVID-19. This builds on work over the last year to make sure job seekers are ready to work, including the Ready to Work Webinar where local employment agencies, community and educational partners share information about local employment and educational services.

A seven-part Calling All Chefs Entrepreneur Workshop Series partners with local chefs and was also organized to bring broader awareness to how local chefs started their careers. These chefs discuss what it takes to start and grow a food business, overcome obstacles, and how to build a local business. Local chefs from Thyme Café and Market, Earl’s Grille, La Cocina, Café Bolivar, Marmalade Café, Rustic Canyon Restaurants, and LJ’s Kitchen participated in the series.

A full list of local employment preparation, job search, career training classes and programs, and tech trainings are also listed on the website.

For the latest information on job resources, current openings, job training, or assistance, visit santamonica.gov/economicrecovery/jobresources. Employers can also add a local employment opportunity to local job listings, email vap@santamonica.gov.

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