Bill Watkins, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the California Lutheran University Center for Economic Research and Forecasting and an associate professor of economics.

2011 is the first time in years that the Center for Economic Research and Forecasting predicts job growth in each of the upcoming 4 quarters nationwide.

In California, however, job growth is forecasted to be weak in 2011. Although technology has led the United States out of the recession, job gains in technology in California will not follow the rest of the nation.

The forecasts don’t foresee a “double dip” recession.

Bill, and his team, foresee no inflation in the short-term or medium term, according to their research.

Other key findings of Bill’s research include:

·      The United States is in recovery.
·      U.S. housing prices will remain soft.
·      U.S. job gains will improve from current low rates.
·      The U.S. unemployment rate will slowly decline.
·      Unless policy is changed, California’s future is dismal, with the specter of stubbornly high unemployment, limited opportunity, and the continued exodus of the middle class.

Listen to the entire interview below: