Los Angeles' STEM talent pool is growing, and it is fueling activity in the office market. According to a new report from JLL, the population of professionals with STEM degrees has increased since 2011, and salaries have increased as well. This segment of the work pool is fueling office market activity and rental rate growth. We sat down with Blake Searles, an EVP at JLL, to discuss the growth and the impact on the office market.

GlobeSt.com: The talent pool has increased significantly since 2011. What is driving the growth of STEM talent in L.A.?

Blake Searles: More than 1 million people over the age of 25 have a STEM degree in Southern California, up 17.0 percent over the last five years. Almost half of those people reside in Los Angeles County. Southern California also boasts more students enrolled in engineering programs than both Northern California and the greater New York metro area, keeping our supply of talent quite healthy. Top schools like CalTech, USC, and UCLA provide a steady and growing stream of STEM talent. Los Angeles has a long history in the defense and aerospace sectors, providing a solid foundation for traditional tech growth. Engineers, mathematicians, and computer scientists have always been in high demand in these industries and that same talent is also in high demand by firms developing new media platforms, new virtual or augmented reality technologies, or enhancing the way media is developed and consumed. Los Angeles provides the perfect industry balance and stream of talent to support steady growth in tech as a whole.