SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Apple announced Monday its plans to increase the number of San Diego employees by over 5,000 by 2026.
The workforce increase in San Diego and several other locations is part of Apple's plan to invest $430 billion and add 20,000 new jobs across the United States over the next five years.
The new positions, according to Apple, “will be in a number of specialty engineering fields, including both software and hardware technologies.”
Apple’s six stores in San Diego County now employ over 600 people, the company said. There are currently 1,000 corporate employees in San Diego.
In a news release, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, “At this moment of recovery and rebuilding, Apple is doubling down on our commitment to U.S. innovation and manufacturing with a generational investment reaching communities across all 50 states. We’re creating jobs in cutting-edge fields — from 5G to silicon engineering to artificial intelligence — investing in the next generation of innovative new businesses, and in all our work, building toward a greener and more equitable future.”
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said, “San Diego is home to a wealth of creative thinkers, dreamers, and doers who are excited to be part of the innovations of tomorrow and we are so proud that Apple is a growing part of this incredibly vibrant city. Apple is a bedrock of our community and we couldn’t be happier they have chosen to significantly expand and accelerate their growth here. This huge commitment to create 5,000 local jobs is a signal of great things to come and makes me even more confident the brightest days are yet ahead for San Diego.”
“Apple bringing thousands of high-skilled jobs to San Diego County is a tremendous addition to our innovative economy. Their commitment to invest in our county is further evidence of the region’s emergence as a top destination for the tech sector; it comes after our local biotech and life sciences companies thrived amidst the pandemic. I fully support this Apple initiative and stand ready to assist their San Diego growth," said San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher.
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