Governor’s Economic Adviser Touts Importance of Lifelong Learning

Lenny Mendonca (right), chief economic adviser to Governor Gavin Newsom, discusses workforce and other issues with CalChamber President and CEO Allan Zaremberg and the audience at the CalChamber Capitol Summit on May 22. Mendonca points out that every time the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics releases a list of the fastest-growing jobs, it includes “jobs that we didn’t know existed.” In contrast to the past, lifelong learning will be essential to the workforce of the future and people will change jobs several times. As the state looks at its Master Plan for Higher Education, Mendonca says, one of the factors to consider will be how to create a system to make sure people are constantly learning. Photo by Steve Yeater.