Civil Municipal Magazine - Dec 2023

155 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 12 A city in transition Today, Pittsburg is a vibrant and growing community of approximately 77,000 that is, once again, facing a period of profound change. U.S. Steel, which became USS-Posco in 1986, after a joint venture with a Korean Iron and Steel company, and then reverted back to sole U.S. Steel ownership in 2020, recently informed the city, as well as its nearly 700 skilled workers, that it will be shutting down its operations this December. Meanwhile, Dow Chemical, which created Corteva Agriscience in 2019, an independent company that was formerly the agricultural unit of DowDuPont, and which focuses on seeds and crop protection, is downsizing its operation in Pittsburg and leasing out its industrial land to other users. “So, we’re at a point of transition, right now,” says Jordan Davis, Pittsburg’s Director of Community and Economic Development. “Both of those companies have been in the city for a hundred years. And while they’re both winding down, they both led to what we are today, which is a city leaning into its industrial past as we continue to grow with a lot more housing and lot more 21st century service-oriented jobs.” Economic Development Manager, Robert Carrera, agrees that the loss of its two major legacy industries, while challenging, actually PI T TSBURG , CAL I FORNIA When it comes to finding a fast track to a skilled and ready workforce, Los Medanos College has paved the way through its Career and Technical Education programs. Based on guidance from local employers on its advisory boards, the college recently spent $2.5 million on renovating its vocational technology lab and $500,000 on state-of-the-art equipment for automotive, electrical, graphic design, nursing and other programs. Los Medanos College is a valuable partner for employers seeking new talent or increasing staff capacity. The college offers skill-building classes and stackable certificates that build toward an associate degree. With nearly 100 programs of study and free tuition for full-time students, Los Medanos College has something for everyone. Los Medanos College also can offer contract education tailored to your company’s needs. We would love to partner with you as we have with the City of Pittsburg and major employers in the community. To learn more, contact Los Medanos College Workforce and Economic Development Manager Bill Bankhead, (925) 473-7415 or bbankhead@losmedanos.edu. Davis says that the city is on target to build 8,000 additional housing units over the next 20 years.“We have room to grow and we have great development partners,” he states.