Classroom to Career at San Joaquin
Advanced manufacturing isn’t just growing – it’s being intentionally built into San Joaquin County’s next economy. The strategy is clear: align employers, modernize training and spotlight local success to attract new investment. On the ground, industry and economic developers are working in sync. The San Joaquin Valley Manufacturing Alliance (SJVMA) convenes companies and educators, hosts the Valley Made Manufacturing Summit, and connects work-based learning and instructor externships to real shop-floor needs. Classroom to Career at San Joaquin.
The San Joaquin Partnership provides a location-decision toolkit – with access to sites, infrastructure and logistics – within a region that reaches world markets by highway, rail, air and the Port of Stockton. The County’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy also ties local priorities to Northern San Joaquin Jobs First investments, ensuring that workforce and industry development are aligned.
Driving Industry Success: Applied Aerospace & High-Tech Production
Applied Aerospace, a flagship example based in Stockton, designs, fabricates and tests high-precision composite and metallic structures for aircraft, launch vehicles, satellites and deep-space missions. With advanced metrology and in-house ASTM testing – and a Stockton lineage dating back to 1954 – the firm shows how high-tech production thrives here.
In 2024, Applied Aerospace completed an 85,000-square-foot high-bay manufacturing building, its largest single structure. The company reported a record contract backlog in early 2025.
“We’re gaining new customers and expanding our platform through mergers and acquisitions to offer more services to the aerospace and defense industries,” says Leandra Wilson, vice president of human resources.
Applied Aerospace is a recognized “employer of choice” in the region.
“People know this company,” Wilson says. “Our employees refer friends and family, and we work hard to be the employer of choice – investing in training and a positive culture that keeps talent growing with us. The regional talent pool and work ethic are important. We appreciate the partners who help upskill our team. This community is focused on helping existing businesses grow and succeed while also working to attract new investment.”
In her view, programs like SkillRISE at the University of California, Merced offer exciting opportunities for advanced manufacturing businesses, providing funding to upskill employees with stipends for participants in a project management certification course.
Forging the Future: San Joaquin’s Talent Pipeline
Growing the next generation of talent is central. The San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) connects students and adults to pathways via Go San Joaquin (GoSJ), a one-stop portal for career and technical education and training programs. Partners are also adopting models – such as the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) – blending paid apprenticeships with technical coursework to produce job-ready technicians.
“At the SJCOE FabLab, students gain hands-on experience in design, prototyping and manufacturing through unique partnerships with higher education and research institutions,” says Katie Wipfli, SJCOE division director of STEM, workforce development and innovation.
The FabLab, is a maker space on the SJCOE campus in Stockton. Gives students hands-on access to high-end tools such as CNC mills, a robotics arena and zSpace augmented-reality workstations. Partnerships with the University of California at Davis and collaborations with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory expose learners to aerospace, drone and additive-manufacturing technologies.
Through its AcademiCS series, SJCOE also connects educators with engineers and scientists in fields like medical technology.
“High-quality career and technical education programs at school districts and the SJCOE throughout the county strengthen the pipeline,” says Dr. Troy A. Brown, San Joaquin County superintendent of schools. “Schools in San Joaquin County always have an eye on the future careers of their students and the workforce needs of our region.”
The Ecosystem: Targeted Investment and College Pathways
From machining and forming technologies to product innovation and design, and welding and materials joining pathways, offered at Manteca and Stockton unified school districts and the SJCOE, these programs connect students to California’s industry standards, providing real-world experience and “stackable skills” for technical careers or further education, Brown says.
At the postsecondary level, San Joaquin Delta College provides advanced training in robotics, machine tool technology and electronics technology. With Jobs First resources. More than $500,000 through June 2026 for county capacity and employer convening. The ecosystem has fresh momentum.
The result: San Joaquin County is pairing industry-grade training with employer leadership and targeted investment. Positioning the region as a California hub where advanced manufacturers can hire, innovate and grow – now and in the future.
Source: Classroom to Career at San Joaquin
From Classroom to Career: San Joaquin’s Advanced Manufacturing Pipeline
The region unifies industry and education to build an advanced manufacturing economy.
https://www.techedmagazine.com/category/news-by-industry/manufacturing-education/