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Expanding Career Options for Underserved Communities

Sacramento Employment and Training Agency and UC Davis Sign Career Pathway Training Agreement  


Starting this February, economically disadvantaged Sacramento residents will be able to access scholarship-funded career training offered by UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education (CPE), the workforce development arm of UC Davis.

These career training opportunities are available due to a recently signed agreement between the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA)/Sacramento Works and CPE, which allows access to customers enrolled in SETA’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act programs. The agreement focuses on teaching high-demand job skills in Business, Health Sciences, Technology, Sustainability and other fields that support the evolving needs of the region’s employers.

“Our partnership with SETA/Sacramento Works creates a pathway for a critical segment of our community to access the resources of UC Davis,” said CPE Dean, Susan Catron. “As Aggie Square gains momentum, it will increasingly generate workforce development opportunities that benefit our diverse community.”

Eligible customers can apply for scholarship funds through the network of 14 Sacramento Works Job Centers managed by SETA.  Visit sacramentoworks.org for Center locations.

“The programs and services offered through SETA/Sacramento Works are designed to create meaningful, long-term career pathways that improve people’s lives,” said Roy Kim, SETA Deputy Director - Workforce Development. “The Certificates offered by UC Davis hit that standard.  Although current training funds are limited, this agreement adds a key infrastructure asset to support the talent pipeline for Aggie Square and the region.”

CPE Certificate programs are a series of courses that build comprehensive job skills in a specific field or industry. Programs are offered online, with some potentially offered in the classroom soon. Check the list of certificates eligible for SETA funding.

CPE is an anchor tenant in Aggie Square, the planned innovation hub on UC Davis’ Sacramento campus that brings together university, industry and community stakeholders to create opportunities for everyone. CPE will spearhead a diverse portfolio of workforce development initiatives at Aggie Square, including the new Life Sciences Workforce Training Collaborative, a public-private partnership that creates industry-responsive skills training in the life sciences, that was launched in November 2020. The first phase of Aggie Square construction is scheduled to begin later this year.

For more than 60 years, the UC Davis Division of Continuing and Professional Education has blended the distinctive academic expertise of UC Davis with practical training that immediately improves capability and job performance. This “Career Curriculum” supports working professionals as they refresh and expand job skills over the course of their careers.

With 48,000 annual enrollments in professional, academic and enrichment courses and more than 2 million enrollments on Coursera, UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education serves lifelong learners in the growing Sacramento region, all 50 states and more than 100 countries.

The Sacramento Employment and Training Agency, a joint powers agency of the City and County of Sacramento, was formed in 1978. The SETA/Sacramento Works Job Centers serve over 45,000 customers per year with a mix of employment, training and support services. Centers target underserved communities, and over 90% of customers have one or more significant barriers to employment.

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