I&I Roundtable Conversations Summary: Sierra College

This report summarizes lessons learned from UMA’s May 2023 virtual roundtable conversation with Sierra College in Rocklin, California. This roundtable was the first time that the major players for the Sacramento Valley manufacturing industry (from business, to community organization, and community college) had gathered to talk about diversifying the workforce. In 90 minutes, the group left a request for more: more conversation, more coordination, additional problem solving, and a pathway forward.

Key lessons from this conversation include

1. Role models matter

Sierra College intentionally hired diverse faculty in their welding department that helped recruit a diverse student body in manufacturing and created a culture to retain them. This model would apply to workplaces and higher education institutions alike.

2. Everything outside the workplace matters for the workday. A long commute, a sick child, or stress paying the bills all affect how well an individual will perform at their job or in the classroom. Individuals from diverse backgrounds are often confronting difficult, systemic challenges – like decades’ long failed land use policy that makes commutes longer, inconvenient, and expensive.

3. Supporting the trainers. Instructors at community colleges are the first line of defense in making sure a student completes a manufacturing program. They’ll be the first to notice when a student doesn’t show up or struggles in class, and therefore, are the first responders. We shouldn’t expect teachers to carry this non-curricular responsibility without ensuring that they have the appropriate training and financial support to do the job right.

4. Solutions that work for everybody. When confronted with opportunities to invest in their workforce, employers should default to yes. From flexible schedules to turning contracting positions into full time employees, examples from the Sacramento area show that everyone benefits. This would also apply to approaches in solving challenges that employees face outside the workday, as well, like childcare, sick leave, and other benefits.