Tag: Career and Technical Education (CTE)

Educators, Employers Stress “One Team” Collaboration at Workforce Summit

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Nearly 300 regional educators, employers, business and workforce training leaders convened for the second “Sierra Workforce Summit” on June 3 to align workforce development efforts for Placer County and the broader Sacramento Region.

Sierra College Superintendent/President Willy Duncan reported how the region is progressing toward the goals established at the 2024 Summit, including:

  • Employer Engagement: More than 350 employers are working directly with educators through Sierra College’s Employer Advisory Boards, with additional employer engagement happening with workforce development agencies, area chambers of commerce and local high schools.
  • Career Connections for Students: More than 5,000 high school students are taking college-level courses through Sierra College dual enrollment, with more than 1,100 enrolled in Career Technical Education courses directly connected to potential careers. 
  • Clear Educational Pathways: Thirty-nine (39) area high schools are offering Sierra College courses through dual enrollment, which are accelerating student progress toward degrees at Sierra, transfer to four-year universities, and job skills training through Career Technical Education.
  • Adult Upskilling: Sierra enrolled 5,800 students above the age of 24, many of which are receiving education for career upskilling or job transitions. 
Sierra Workforce Summit at Sierra College

“Our goal for the Summit is to encourage educators, employers, and community partners to think and act as one team to meet our regional workforce needs,” said Duncan. “These results highlight how our strong partnerships are preparing students with the practical, relevant skills needed to fill good-paying jobs at our regional employers. But we can’t stop here—there is more work to be done.”

Sector-Based Strategies Solving Specific Challenges

Summit speakers discussed high-impact strategies to meet workforce needs in specific sectors like precision manufacturing, utilities, food production and health care. These include Sierra College’s Computer Numeric Control (CNC) Machinist Apprenticeship program and its new surgical tech program, which was born out of the Roseville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Talent Pipeline Management program with area health systems. Surgical techs are in high-demand and can expect starting salaries of $90,000 after a one-year program.

Sector-based workforce strategies funded through Valley Vision’s We Prosper Together initiative were also discussed. These include SMUD’s Lineworker Scholarship Program, Sierra Commons’ resilient rural food systems and food entrepreneurship accelerator, and the Roseville Chamber’s Talent Pipeline Management program for Precision Manufacturing.    

Dual Enrollment Broadening Opportunities for All

The Summit also spotlighted the opportunities created by the increase in Dual Enrollment (DE) courses, where high school students take a Sierra College course at their own high school for free. More than 5,000 high school students at 39 area high schools were enrolled in 80 Sierra College DE course in 2024-25. Roseville Joint Union High School District is currently deploying more than $2 million in grant funding to build Mechatronics DE programs at Antelope and Oakmont High Schools, complete with labs that replicate the lab at Sierra College. More than 200 students have expressed interest for Fall 2025. Sierra College and Roseville Chamber are also collaborating on building the workforce pipeline for cybersecurity careers through dual enrollment at local high schools. 

New Report Highlights Impact of Career Technical Education Programs

Sierra College presented its first-ever report on its Career Technical Education (CTE) programs, which blend academic learning with technical and career-specific skills training. The goal of CTE programs is to better and more quickly prepare students for career fields by mixing classroom instruction with hands-on learning, improving academic results.  

The new report finds that nearly half (47%) of Sierra College students are enrolled in one of its 21 CTE programs of study, which offer 140 different degree and certificate options. Sierra’s CTE programs include nursing and allied health, precision manufacturing, public safety, building industries, applied arts, business and information technology.

In February, Sierra College celebrated the graduation of its first cohort of students who will be working at Bosch’s new semiconductor facility in Roseville.

Recent Graduates Share Their Career Success

The Summit culminated in a panel discussion of recent Sierra College students who shared their journeys from education into the workforce, which Summit attendees said left them feeling hopeful and inspired. 

Mathew Gray, a graduate of Sierra’s Fire Academy at its Nevada County Campus, is now working for Sacramento County Airport Fire. Angel Ruano, who secured an internship at Swinerton while studying at Sierra College, is now a full-time Swinerton information technology (IT) employee. Noelle Witcher, a local  small business owner who participated in Sierra’s entrepreneurship programs and is preparing to launch her own line of cosmetics. Nursing program graduate Sierra Gartrell announced during the panel that she had just accepted a job offer from Sutter Health.

“A traditional four-year degree program and job hunting on my own were not working for me. Thanks to flexible programs and an internship placement, I have the skills I need and am succeeding at a job with room to move up,” said Angel Ruano.

Visit the Sierra Workforce Summit webpage to see the full agenda, speakers, supporting partners and highlight video of the 2025 event.

Dr. Denise Bushnell Honored with 2024-25 Hayward Award for Excellence

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Recognized as Champion for Removing Barriers for Student Success

Sierra College business professor Dr. Denise Bushnell has been honored with the 2024-25 Hayward Award for Excellence in Education. Sponsored annually by the Foundation for California Community Colleges, this award honors community college full-time and part-time faculty who demonstrate the highest level of commitment to their students, college and profession.

Hayward Award honorees must be nominated by their college academic senate, and nominees are selected by representatives of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges.

In nominating Dr. Bushnell for the award, Sierra College colleagues recognized her decades of work in removing barriers to student success and championing numerous initiatives to help historically underrepresented students reach their educational and career goals. These initiatives include:

  • The Invention and Inclusive Innovation (i3) program to integrate social entrepreneurship, equitable access and 21st century skills
  • Aligning CTE curriculum to be more inclusive and meet local workforce needs
  • Growing Sierra College’s Dual Enrollment programs to bring more Career Technical Education (CTE) courses to local high schools – particularly under-resourced high schools
  • Working with other programs to help remove educational and cultural barriers to empower underrepresented student populations   

“Dr. Bushnell’s commitment to increasing opportunities has left a lasting impact on all our students by forging equitable pathways that connect them to meaningful and successful careers,” said Sierra College Superintendent/President Willy Duncan. “Sierra College is grateful for her many years of outstanding service and thrilled for her to receive this statewide honor.”

In supporting the award nomination, Sierra College colleagues recognized Dr. Bushnell’s “unwavering dedication to student equity,” and “broadening access to diverse learners to accelerate their connection to the workforce.” Colleagues also credited Dr. Bushnell for “courageous leadership and commitment to equity that have expanded opportunities for CTE students, strengthened employer connections, and fostered enduring cultural change.”

Dr. Bushnell has been a faculty member at Sierra College since 1999. She provides leadership in the Business Department in the areas of entrepreneurship and CTE. She serves as an Academic Senator for the Business and Technology Division, chair of the CTE Committee, numerous Sierra College committees, task forces, and regional efforts with other community colleges.  

The Hayward Award for Excellence in Education program was established in 1989 in honor of Gerald C. Hayward, who served as chancellor of the California Community Colleges from 1980 to 1985. This year, the Academic Senate selected three winners. Award recipients must have a record of outstanding performance of professional activities, as well as active participation on campus. The Hayward Awards are supported through a grant from the Foundation for California Community Colleges. Each recipient receives a $1,250 cash award and a commemorative plaque. Dr. Bushnell plans to donate the cash award to Sierra College’s Basic Needs Center.  

This is the fourth year in a row in which an instructor from Sierra College has been honored with this award. Dr. Bushnell’s recognition follows Dr. Melissa Leal in 2023-24, Dr. Jane Le Skaife in 2022-23, and Dr. Winsome Jackson in 2021-22. 

Dr. Bushnell was honored at a California Community Colleges Board of Governors meeting on March 25, 2025, in Sacramento.

About Sierra College

Sierra College is rising to the needs of our community. Sierra College serves 3,200 square miles of Northern California with campuses in Rocklin, Grass Valley, and Truckee. With approximately 125 degree and certificate programs, Sierra College is ranked first in Northern California (Sacramento north) for transfers to four-year universities, offers career/technical training, and classes for upgrading job skills. Sierra graduates can be found in businesses and industries throughout the region. More information at www.sierracollege.edu. 

Sierra College Elevates Amy Schulz to Executive Dean, Workforce and Strategic Initiatives

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Schulz Will Focus on Building Connections With Local Employers, Implementing New Workforce Development Programs

Sierra College has promoted Amy Schulz to a newly created position of Executive Dean for Workforce and Strategic Initiatives. In this role, Schulz will focus on regional workforce strategic planning, building connections with local employers, and the implementation of new workforce development programs.

“Workforce development is critical for regional economic growth, and Amy is uniquely qualified to cultivate the necessary partnerships with employers, economic development groups and educators at every level from high school through university to make it happen,” said Sierra College Superintendent/President Willy Duncan. “Through this role, Amy will expand Sierra College’s leadership in workforce development which will increase equitable access to high paying, rewarding jobs for our students.”

Previously, Schulz served as Dean for the Business and Technology Academic Division, where she oversaw 13 academic programs, including business, computer science, IT, human development, public safety, advanced manufacturing, welding, building industries and mechatronics. Schulz also oversaw Career, Continuing and Technical education programs, including managing CTE funding for Sierra College’s 21 Career Technical Education (CTE) programs.

As Executive Dean for Workforce and Strategic Initiatives, Schulz will take on an expanded strategic and relationship role for the college, while continuing to oversee CTE programming and funding as a critical element of regional workforce development. She also will continue to oversee Sierra College’s Learning Independence for Future Employment (LIFE) program, which provides training, support and community integration programming to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In addition, Schulz will coordinate sector and employer engagement to identify skilled workforce needs and implementation of guided academic pathways for students, including dual enrollment with local high schools, transfer and degree completion efforts, as well as related grant-funded workforce programs.

“Sierra College is in a special position to provide individuals at all stages of life and career with the training and skills needed to secure good-paying jobs, matched to the evolving needs of our local employers,” said Schulz. “Partnerships are the ‘secret sauce’ to making sure we are providing practical, relevant education and building the workforce pipeline that will keep our regional economy thriving. I’m thankful for the tremendous advantages in this region, where education, industry and community are willing to work together to create many different, equitable pathways to quality jobs.”

About Sierra College

Sierra College is rising to the needs of our community. Sierra College serves 3,200 square miles of Northern California with campuses in Rocklin, Grass Valley, and Truckee. With approximately 125 degree and certificate programs, Sierra College is ranked first in Northern California (Sacramento north) for transfers to four-year universities, offers career/technical training, and classes for upgrading job skills. Sierra graduates can be found in businesses and industries throughout the region. More information at www.sierracollege.edu.

Sierra College, Bosch Collaborate to Upskill Associates at Silicon Carbide Fab in Roseville

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First Certificates Awarded Under Fast-Track Mechatronics Program

Sierra College yesterday awarded certificates of achievement to 10 Bosch associates who recently completed a customized Mechatronics program. The program was designed through collaboration between Sierra and Bosch to help prepare workers with the skills and training that will be needed as Bosch works toward production of the first silicon carbide chips at the Roseville site in 2026.

“Sierra College is passionate about working with area employers like Bosch to deliver customized training solutions that match their business needs,” said Amy Schulz, Sierra College Executive Dean for Workforce and Strategic Initiatives. “Working closely with the Bosch team, we were able to design a condensed Mechatronics certificate program that emphasized the specific, hands-on training that employees will need as the Bosch facility comes online. As Bosch becomes an even larger part of our local economy and community, Sierra is excited to support its success.”

Typically an 18-24 month program, Sierra College and Bosch designed a Mechatronics certificate that could be completed in one year by adding summer session classes and additional lab space for Bosch associates.

“Access to skilled workers and education is vital for Bosch’s plans for our silicon carbide fab,” said Sara Lausmann, Line Maintenance Manager at Bosch in Roseville and past graduate of the Mechatronics program. “Sierra College was able to design a program to meet our needs within two months and take full advantage of this time before the plant is in operation by helping our current workers upskill and prepare for a new type of work in a state-of-the-art facility. This collaboration is one of many win-wins we see for Bosch and the community.”

In April 2023, Bosch announced and closed an acquisition of an existing wafer fab in Roseville and has begun the process to transform the site. Since the acquisition, Bosch has retained nearly all of the 250 associates during the transformation process as it prepares for the 2026 launch production of 200-millimeter wafers based on the pioneering silicon carbide Bosch technology. Bosch plans to invest up to $1.9 billion to transform the site, supported by a $25 million California Competes Tax Credit approved by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and up to $225 million in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act with the U.S. Department of Commerce.

In addition to training its current workforce, Bosch is also investing locally to help build up semiconductor expertise for the future. The Bosch Community Fund provided a $100,000 grant to the Sierra College Foundation in Rocklin, California for its Career Technical Education Support Fund. The grant has helped to support associated costs with certification fees, microcontroller kits, development material, software, protective gear, tools, entry and travel fees for STEM competitions, project supplies for STEM Clubs and more.

Sierra College’s Mechatronics program – housed within its Business and Technology Division – includes the study of robotics and industrial automation and offers students multiple educational options, including Associate of Arts or Associate of Science Degree, a Certificate of Achievement and a Skills Certificate. Mechatronics students work in many fields, including electronics, mechanical systems, programming, semiconductors, manufacturing and transportation. Jobs include field service technicians, industrial electricians, fabricators, assemblers, PLC programmers and microcontroller programmers. Classes are scheduled to meet the needs of a variety of learners, including night class offerings. To learn more about enrolling in the Mechatronics program, go to www.sierracollege.edu/mechatronics

Across its more than 120 degrees and certificates, Sierra College regularly works with industry groups and individual employers to understand labor market needs and changes in technology and machinery to deliver a rigorous, relevant educational experience that prepares students for work on day one. Through its 21 Career Continuing Technical Education programs, Sierra College prepares students for employment in specific high-demand sectors such as manufacturing, building industries, IT and computer science, automotive technology, nursing and allied health, public safety and business. Sierra also delivers customized training programs for individual employers to retrain and upskill their workforce.

Photos of the event are available here: Bosch Graduation, Feb 12, 2025 (Flickr Album)

About Sierra College

Sierra College District is rising to the needs of our community. Sierra College serves 3,200 square miles of Northern California with campuses in Rocklin, Grass Valley, and Truckee. With approximately 125 degree and certificate programs, Sierra College is ranked first in Northern California (Sacramento north) for transfers to four-year universities, offers career/technical training, and classes for upgrading job skills. Sierra graduates can be found in businesses and industries throughout the region. More information at www.sierracollege.edu.

Sierra College and Partners Lead Sierra Workforce Summit

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Attendees Commit to Making Placer County the California Leader for Lifelong Learning and Career-long Success

Representatives of Placer County’s major employers and education providers came together on Tuesday, June 18 at the Sierra College Rocklin Campus to advance breakthrough strategies for preparing youth and working-age adults for good-paying jobs.  

The Sierra Workforce Summit addressed the needs of employers faced with a growing economy, changing skill demands, hard to fill positions, and new technologies revolutionizing how work gets done. 

Speakers and sessions at the Summit included: 

  • Opening keynote address by Lance Hastings, CEO of the California Manufacturers and Technology Association 
  • Futurist Keynote by Todd Trotter, Senior Vice President for Human Resources, Kaiser Permanente  
  • Employer focused sessions with major local employers, including Bosch, Trane, Placer County, and Kaiser Permanente 
  • Panel on the future of workforce development 
  • Roundtables of local education leaders on employer needs and aligning the workforce pathways  

Working Together Towards Big Goals

Wrapping up the event, Sierra College Superintendent/President Willy Duncan challenged the attendees with, “Sharing of ideas is valuable but won’t move the needle on preparing our region for the workforce challenges of today and the future. I would like to offer a call to action, a big goal moving forward. This is a vision, a pathway of our own, and something that we can take from today’s Summit and begin to work on.” 

Together, the attendees of the Sierra Workforce Summit agreed to work towards achieving the following goals by 2028: 

  1. Placer learners of all ages are connected to promising careers and can work or intern in their field of interest while in school.
  2. More than 50 area employers actively engaged with local schools and business-serving organizations to anticipate and fill future workforce needs.
  3. All public and private education providers and community-based organizations in Placer County support career exploration and have created clear educational pathways for all students to access high-demand jobs.
  4. Educators, employers and civic organizations will have assisted more than 2,000 working-age adults to increase their skills to advance in their current job or transition to a new career.
  5. Business, education, government, tribes, and community groups function as one team, leveraging information, learnings, and approaches for preparing students for good paying jobs, making Placer County the leading place in California for lifelong learning and career-long success.

The Sierra Workforce Summit was powered by Sierra College and local business partners, including:

  • Placer Business Alliance 
  • Rocklin Area Chamber of Commerce 
  • Roseville Area Chamber of Commerce 
  • Lincoln Area Chamber of Commerce 
  • Valley Vision 
  • Greater Sacramento Economic Council 
  • County of Placer 

About Sierra College

Sierra College District is rising to the needs of our community. Sierra College serves 3,200 square miles of Northern California with campuses in Roseville, Rocklin, Grass Valley, and Truckee. With approximately 125 degree and certificate programs, Sierra graduates can be found in businesses and industries throughout the region. More information is at www.sierracollege.edu.  

Sierra College Hosts California State Leaders to Highlight Successful Programs, Business Partnerships that Prepare Students for Well-Paying Jobs

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Ca First Partner Siebel Newsom College Visit
First Partner of California Siebel Newsom (far left) receives a tour of the mechatronics lab at Sierra College.

Event Spotlighted Mechatronics Program, Student Innovation

On Tuesday April 2, 2024, Sierra College hosted leaders from across California to highlight the success of higher education programs that empower community members with training and access to well-paying regional jobs through business partnerships. Visitors to Sierra College included the First Partner of California Jennifer Siebel Newsom and the Governor’s Council for Career Education, which includes members from state government leadership, higher education, and the business community. 

During the visit, First Partner Siebel Newsom and members of the Council and Governor’s Office visited with students from the Sierra College Mechatronics program (created to meet regional industry needs) and experienced examples of student innovation in the Makerspace. 

“The Sierra College Mechatronics program is a great example of the commitment the Governor and I share to provide Californians with pathways to well-compensated careers so they have the resources to provide for themselves and their families,” said First Partner Siebel Newsom. “The focus on recruiting more women into STEM fields like mechatronics also furthers our goal to close the wage, wealth, and opportunity gaps by uplifting women in industries that traditionally exclude us.”

Among those speaking with the First Partner was Sara Lausmann, the Line Maintenance Manager at Bosch Semiconductors, a soon-to-be 200mm silicon carbide (SiC) Fab plant in Roseville. Prior to moving into management, Sara worked as a Line Maintenance Technician for eight years with TSI in the Dry Etch Area. During this time, she went back to school to earn a Mechatronics Certificate at Sierra College. This enabled her to build a great relationship with the Mechatronics Program and onboard many of their graduates. 

“It was a pleasure welcoming California leaders to Sierra College to see the results of the hard work of faculty, staff, and students in changing lives,” said Willy Duncan, Sierra College Superintendent/President. “Working closely with the local business community and with the support of our community and the State of California we are helping students find new opportunities.” 

Mechatronics provides life-changing career opportunities for many, and unfortunately, it is not being taken advantage of due to not enough women being aware of the potential in these industries or thinking that it may not be for them. Sierra College has increased coordinated enrollment outreach for this program so more can learn about these opportunities, see themselves here, and broaden the pipeline to success. 

Along with First Partner Siebel Newsom, visitors included the following members of the Governor’s Council for Career Education: 

  • Ben Chida, Chief Deputy Cabinet Secretary, Office of the Governor 
  • Michael Drake, President, University of California 
  • Sonya Christian, Chancellor, California Community Colleges 
  • Kristen Soares, President, Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities 
  • Tony Thurmond, Superintendent of Public Instruction, California Department of Education 
  • Joe Stephenshaw, Director, California Department of Finance 
  • Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor and Director, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development 
  • Jennifer Barrera, President and CEO, California Chamber of Commerce 
  • Jeff Freitas, President, California Federation of Teachers 
  • Stewart Knox, Secretary, California Labor and Workforce Development Agency 
  • Josh Fryday, Chief Service Officer, California Volunteers 

About Sierra College  

Sierra College District is rising to the needs of our community. Sierra College serves 3,200 square miles of Northern California with campuses in Roseville, Rocklin, Grass Valley, and Truckee. With approximately 125 degree and certificate programs, Sierra College is ranked first in Northern California (Sacramento north) for transfers to four-year universities, offers career/technical training, and classes for upgrading job skills. Sierra graduates can be found in businesses and industries throughout the region. More information at sierracollege.edu  

Sierra College Car Club Takes Laps at Sonoma Raceway with Their Notta Miata 2002 Mini Cooper

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Students Put Their Automotive Skills, Knowledge to the Test

The Sierra College Car Club has been working hard to reinvigorate and revitalize the club to expand its membership. As a way to build momentum and excitement, they decided to set a serious stretch-goal to garner more interest and participation in their club. The goal? Build and race a race car.

Putting pedal to the metal, the club set their sights on competing in time for the 24 Hours of LeMONS event held Dec. 1 and 2, 2023 in Sonoma.

The event is an endurance racing series that is, according to the organizers, a competition using a car that is “bought and track-prepped for $500 or less (not including safety equipment, brakes, and wheels/tires).”

But first, the club had to find a low- or no-cost car somehow.

Green-lighted

Their goal began to unlock when a 2002 Mini Cooper was donated to the club. This sounds like a strong start, but because it was an abandoned car that no longer ran, they had a lot of work ahead of them. Nevertheless, the club members were elated. In fact, since they knew most lower budget race cars competing in the event tend to be Mazda Miatas, they decided to name their “new” pride and joy, Notta Miata.

From there, serious effort went into getting the car race-ready.

The work ranged from the engine, which had to be replaced with one from Pick-n-Pull due to a rod bearing failure in the original, to adding a safety cage being student-fabricated and installed in the car with the help of more than 100 student welding hours. The project required expertise and dedication from students and faculty.

“We had to take an interdisciplinary approach when preparing the race car for the LeMONS,” said Matt Casinias, student president of the Sierra College Car Club. “The project not only included car club members, but also required collaboration between the Engineering, Welding and Robotics clubs as well.”

Together, the students had a car ready in time for the LeMONS race. Check out the before and after pictures of Notta Miata.

Off to the Races

At the event, they successfully passed a rigorous safety inspection and soon had Notta Miata – race car number #115 – on the racetrack. It completed 53 running laps on its first day. Not bad considering that prior to the race, the car had only done a few laps around the parking lot at the Sierra College Rocklin Campus. But the first day wasn’t without challenges, including stuck starter solenoids, burned wiring and damaged alternators. Undeterred, the students took care of the minor issues, including changing the starter, replacing damaged wiring and rotating the tires.

There was so much energy and excitement in the team’s success on the first day that it spilled over onto other teams as the club walked around the paddock talking with and checking on competitors’ status. This turned into an evening of helping others. In fact, several teams who were preparing to leave due to hard failures were able to return to the track on Sunday with support from the Sierra College students. 

Teamwork Pays Off

This willingness to help others led to the team being given the eBay motors “Heroic Fix” award. The award is usually given to a team that overcame an obstacle with their car, but the Sierra College team was recognized for helping others up and down the pit row to overcome their obstacles and keep racing.

The racing weekend ended Sunday morning for the race car on its 16th lap when the car met the wall on turn 11. Thankfully, no one was injured, but it did end the race for Notta Miata.

“The camaraderie and teamwork that helped get us to the track was seen by everyone there and was an incredible representation of Sierra College,” said Roy Ingram, Sierra College Mechatronics instructor and Car Club advisor. “It was an incredible weekend and what a way to show how a community college can contribute to their community.”

Casinias added, “Just being involved in this club has opened a lot of doors and opportunities that I wouldn’t have been able to find on my own.”

Support the Car Club

While the cars may sometimes be free, the price tag to build a race car is expensive; however, the experience for students is priceless. If you want to support the Sierra College Car Club, follow them on Instagram @sierracollegemotorsports to find out when you can see their work and their cars.