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Every regional economy is made up of a number of industries and "clusters" of related industries. "Cluster-based" economic development involves targeting the industries that naturally exist in a local economy and focusing available resources on developing the things most needed to grow those targeted industries, such as customized training programs, physical infrastructure requirements, and specialized research programs at local universities.
The Regional Jobs Initiative is a cluster-based approach to regional economic development. The industries targeted by the RJI include the following clusters:
Advanced Manufacturing 
advanced manufacturing refers to highly flexible, short- to medium-run production, as opposed to high-run assembly line production. The San Joaquin Valley is poised for growth in its manufacturing sector.
Clean Energy
The clean energy project is the first initiative undertaken in the creation of a local renewable energy/clean technology cluster. It is designed to help reduce energy consumption and generate clean, renewable power where possible in order to improve the local economy and benefit the environment.
Construction
The construction cluster is comprised of designers, contractors, suppliers, building trade organizations, apprenticeship programs, home builders, industry associations and educators, all representing both public and private aspects of the construction industry.
Food Processing
The food processing industry cluster encompasses the public and private organizations in the region that are engaged in research, development, manufacture, and/or delivery of goods and services related to the production, sales, marketing, and distribution of food.
Healthcare
This cluster consists of a network of hospitals, training centers, clinics and other health-related service providers. Its major focus is on workforce development.
Info Processing: Call Centers
The call centers cluster represents those information processing businesses that handle a large volume of calls for retail, telemarketing, technical assistance and other large organizations.
Logistics & Distribution
Advanced logistics and distribution refers to the transportation, storage, and allocation of products. The logistics cluster focuses on the industry that provides these services.
Software Development
The software development cluster consists of businesses or divisions of businesses whose primary function is software development, as well as educators whose goal is the training of software developers.
Tourism
The tourism cluster consists of all businesses, such as hotels and motels, tour operations, and restaurants, related to the various aspects of tourism that can be found in the Fresno Region.
Water Technology
The International Center for Water Technology is an industry-university partnership focusing on the manufacture and deployment of technology that enables water reuse, conservation, energy efficiency, lower cost innovations, improved water quality and water exploration.
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