With the development of a new tech site, Apple will bring 1,200 jobs to San Diego, a region its executives consider “the envy of the world.” The number of positions is 20 percent higher than previously stated following negotiations with community leaders.
A representative from the tech giant spoke with local leaders, including San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, about the new initiative at Westfield UTC’s Apple Store Wednesday.
“It is great to be here in San Diego this morning to make some exciting announcements that are reflective of our confidence in the city,” said Kristina Raspe, vice president of global real estate and facilities at Apple.
In December, Apple announced that it would establish a new site in San Diego, with a commitment to adding 1,000 employees over the next three years.
“Apparently, that number was not high enough for Mayor Faulconer or the members of his team who, very thoughtfully and convincingly, walked us through everything the San Diego region has to offer,” said Raspe.
San Diego, which is currently home to 600 Apple employees, will soon see 1,200 more added to its workforce with at least 170 new employees starting by the end of 2019.
Raspe said San Diego will be a “principle engineering hub for Apple” with its new site.
“San Diego is a city that for generations has welcomed inventors, dreamers, and those with an eye for the future,” Faulconer said. “As Apple continues to innovate and introduce new products, we will be proud to say that San Diego was an important part of that.”
Janice Brown, the chair of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, and Jerry Sanders, the president and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and former San Diego mayor, also shared their approval at the Wednesday event.
“San Diego’s commitment to economic inclusion is consistent with Apple’s selection of San Diego as its newest workplace,” Brown said.
Sanders echoed this idea, saying, “The decision to increase the company’s presence in San Diego is testament to a strong, talented workforce and intellectual capital we have in the region.”
Rapse said Apple’s history dates back to 2001 when it opened its first store in San Diego and its 21st store in the entire world.
“On behalf of our CEO, Tim Cook, we’re thrilled to be in San Diego,” Rapse said.
Apple has yet to decide where its new site will be located, but Rapse said its San Diego campus will be hundreds of thousands of square feet.
