SCC Among 6 Selected Nationally for $50k Grant, Participation in Workforce Development Cohort Model

Sacramento City College (SCC) is one of six community colleges in the country that have been selected to participate in a multi-year career preparation cohort model that will lead students directly into the workforce. Along with the opportunity to participate in the cohort, SCC will receive a $50,000 grant from New America, in partnership with the Lumina Foundation, to support the work.

The model will include strong, ongoing engagement between SCC and local employers in high-growth, high-demand industries, as well as a re-envisioning and bolstering the work of the college’s existing Career Services to better support students in finding internships and entry into jobs.

"We are excited to bring industry partners in the Sacramento region together for career opportunities with a pipeline of career-job-ready students and community members by equipping them with future skills, upskilling, and reskill training,” says Rick Hodge, Associate Vice President of Instruction and Workforce Development at SCC.

Already, SCC has commitments from local organizations and industry leaders to make an impact for an equitable economy including the Sacramento County Office of Education, Metro Chamber, Valley Vision, City of Sacramento Economic and Workforce Development, SMUD, UC Davis, Sacramento Employment and Training Agency, and the Sacramento Public Library.

With the work of the college’s Career Services, students will be introduced and connected early on to internship and employment opportunities.

“The new talent engagement strategies we are designing through our Career Services operation at SCC will connect students and community members to great paying jobs and internship openings from sector employers throughout the region,” Hodge says. In particular, students will be prepared to enter high-growth, high-demand sectors, which include healthcare, business and entrepreneurship, entertainment, public service, child development, and technology sector, including web development, artificial intelligence, drone technology, and cloud computing.

The career education programs at SCC that could lead to high paying entry and mid-level jobs in industry sectors include Design and Digital Media, Aeronautics, Business, Computer Information Science, Advanced Technology and Manufacturing, Nursing and Allied Health, Dental Assisting and Hygiene, Occupational and Physical Therapy Assistant, and more. Students who obtain certificates and credentials from career education programs will be career-job-ready to enter the workforce, often in high-earning fields, contributing to a stronger local economy and community.

New America and the Lumina Foundation also emphasize the importance of using the funding and new model to address equity and inclusion; to build long-lasting relationships between the college and employers; and to turn out positive labor market outcomes with a focus on job quality.

While SCC has for a long time prioritized these key initiatives, being part of the cohort will allow the college to share best practices and learn from others, and scale job opportunities throughout the Sacramento region. Others selected for the cohort are County College of Morris in New Jersey, Des Moines Area Community College in Iowa, Lone Star College in Texas, Mott Community College in Michigan, and Tidewater Community College in Virginia. Ultimately, the cohort’s experiences will be shared nationally in an effort to improve educational and employment outcomes for colleges across the country.