Administrative Healthcare Careers Advisory Event Materials and Recording
Strong Workforce Program
Construction, Trades, and Utilities Advisory Event Report
Strong Workforce Program
Regional Industry Advisory: Veterinary Technician Careers
Join the Los Rios Community College District and Valley Vision for a regional industry advisory focused on Agricultural and Wetland Veterinary Technologists and Technicians, on September 21st from 1 to 3 pm. This session will convene veterinary professionals, educators, and industry partners to explore workforce trends, regional demand, and career pathways in animal health.
Animal health services are critical to supporting producers, natural resource management, and community well-being across the Capital Region. From large animal and wildlife settings to small animal hospitals and specialty clinics, demand across the industry continues to grow, with evolving expectations for technical competencies, safety protocols, biosecurity, compliance, and field readiness. As the industry adapts to changing environmental conditions, regulatory frameworks, and advances in veterinary medicine, alignment between education and workforce needs becomes increasingly important.
This advisory will provide participants with regional labor market insights and create space for facilitated dialogue with practitioners and partners about current hiring needs, skill expectations, certification considerations, and emerging trends impacting the profession. Participants will have the opportunity to explore gaps in training pathways, equipment, and resource needs, as well as ways to strengthen collaboration between industry and education.
Input gathered during this session will help inform program development, strengthen career pathways, and support strategies that advance workforce readiness and high-quality animal health services throughout the region.
Regional Industry Advisory: Administrative Healthcare Careers
Join Los Rios Community College District and Valley Vision on Friday, April 17, from 1:00–3:00 p.m. for a regional conversation focused on administrative careers in healthcare.
Behind every hospital, clinic, and community health organization is a team that keeps things running, manages operations, navigates regulations, supports patients, and ensures systems actually work. As healthcare continues to shift, these roles are changing fast. New technologies, evolving policies, and ongoing workforce pressures are raising the bar for what administrative professionals need to know and do.
This advisory brings together healthcare leaders, educators, and workforce partners to take a closer look at what that means right now. We’ll share regional labor market insights and hear directly from employers about hiring needs, skill gaps, and what they’re seeing on the ground.
The employer panel will feature representatives from UC Davis Health, Sutter Health, Marshall Medical Center, and California Correctional Health Care Services, offering perspectives from hospital systems, community-based care, and public-sector healthcare.
The conversation is designed to be practical. We’ll also dig into how programs can stay aligned with real-world needs, where opportunities to strengthen connections between colleges and employers exist, and what it looks like to build clearer, more accessible pathways into these careers.
All registrants will receive a follow-up email with the full recording, slide deck, and event report after the session.
Regional Industry Advisory: Legal Services Careers
Join Los Rios Community College District and Valley Vision for a virtual regional industry advisory focused on Legal Services careers. This event will bring together educators, employers, and workforce partners to explore regional legal occupations, workforce demand, and career pathways.
Legal services continue to play an important role in the Greater Sacramento economy, with strong demand for paralegals, legal assistants, court clerks, and related support roles across public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private firms. This advisory will feature regional labor market insights and a panel of local legal employers who will share current hiring needs, skill expectations, and emerging opportunities.
Construction, Trades, and Utilities Advisory Event Materials and Recording
Strong Workforce Program
Construction Trades and Utilities Advisory
Join Us for a Construction Trades and Utilities Advisory!
As our region continues to grow, the need for skilled workers in construction and utilities is rising fast. From infrastructure upgrades and clean energy expansion to new technologies shaping how we build and power our communities, this advisory will bring industry leaders together to ensure that training programs keep pace.
The event will feature an overview of local labor market trends from the Centers of Excellence and regional insights from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. Additionally, a moderated employer panel will also focus on workforce challenges, career pathways, and how we can better prepare students for high-quality careers in the trades.
Employer Panelists
- Tegan Knifton, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), Regional Workforce Development Manager
- Samantha Blackwood, California Department of Water Resources, Talent Manager, Division of Human Resources
- Mark Adams, Teichert, Workforce Development Manager
- Rhonda Godinez, Villara Building Systems, Recruiter Supervisor
- John Hershey, U.A. Local 447 Plumbers & Pipefitters, Compliance Officer
- Tony Hernandez, Nor Cal Carpenters Union, Executive Director
RSVP is required to attend our hybrid meeting on Friday, February 6th, from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM.
An optional networking lunch will be available from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM.
The meeting will take place at American River College in the Student Center, Community Rooms, across from the new Career Technical Education (CTE) building. A guided tour of the new CTE facility will follow the event. Please contact Project Coordinator Liz Kilkenny at liz.kilkenny@valleyvision.org if you have any questions.
RSVP Here
Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce Pathways Advancement
Valley Vision is partnering with the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) to support a countywide Mental and Behavioral Health (MBH) Workforce Advisory Body, connecting employers and educational institutions across Sacramento County. As a key facilitator in this initiative, Valley Vision leverages its expertise in regional workforce development, economic planning, and community collaboration to drive meaningful progress. We are actively helping SCOE and regional partners by:
- Facilitating Strategic Collaboration: Valley Vision supports the convening and coordination of the MBH Workforce Advisory Body, bringing together diverse stakeholders, including educators, employers, and community organizations, to foster aligned strategies and shared goals for addressing workforce shortages
- Conducting In-Depth Research and Analysis: We lead job demand analyses and competency mapping to identify critical skills gaps in the MBH sector, providing data-driven insights that inform pathway development and ensure training programs meet real-world needs.
- Building Sustainable Pathways: Valley Vision assists with designing and implementing clear, inclusive education-to-career pathways, expanding talent supply chains, and aligning them with aligning with industry to attract a diverse pool of students and job seekers.
- Promoting Continuous Improvement: Through ongoing evaluation and reporting, Valley Vision ensures the initiative’s long-term sustainability, recommending strategy adaptation to evolving demands and measuring impact on the region’s MBH workforce.
The initiative’s goal is to create clear, aligned pathways into MBH careers in the Greater Sacramento region. By attracting and supporting a diverse pool of students and job seekers, the work aims to address the critical skills gap in the MBH sector through collaboration, strategic planning, and the development of a sustainable talent pipeline.
Key priorities include:
- Strengthening collaboration between education providers and employers
- Conducting job demand analysis to guide planning
- Establishing consistent competency requirements
- Mapping education pathways and talent flows
- Expanding and aligning talent supply chains with training programs
- Ensuring the continuous improvement and long-term sustainability of the MBH workforce pathways
Resources
Check out the tools and findings from this project:
Bi-Annual Reports: Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce Advisory
The Sacramento County Office of Education Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce Advisory Bi-Annual Report speaks on regional efforts that strengthen and expand pathways into mental and behavioral health careers across Greater Sacramento. Developed by Valley Vision, the report outlines key workforce trends, hiring challenges, and opportunities identified through engagement with employers, education, and community partners. Findings emphasize persistent shortages in entry level, paraprofessional, clinical, and social work roles, while also identifying barriers related to training access, funding, and workforce navigation. The report also shares recommendations and next steps to build a more sustainable, equitable, and connected mental and behavioral health workforce pipeline for the region. Read More Below!
Get Involved
Shape the future of Mental and Behavioral Health careers in Sacramento!
Email Diangelo Andrews at diangelo.andrews@valleyvision.org to join the project.
Advancing Agricultural Careers Through AgHiRE
The AgHiRE Project is a regional initiative led by the Center for Land-Based Learning (CLBL) that focuses on upskilling Spanish-speaking farmworkers and strengthening agricultural workforce pathways across the Capital Region.
The project brings together farmworkers, employers, educators, and workforce partners, including Valley Vision, to expand opportunities for training, professional growth, and long-term careers in agriculture. AgHiRE supports farmworkers in gaining new technical and leadership skills, while ensuring employers can access the talent they need to meet evolving workforce demands.
Valley Vision’s Role
Valley Vision has supported CLBL on the AgHiRE Project by assisting with coordination and partner engagement. Early in the project, Valley Vision convened educators, employers, and workforce development partners to plan and align training opportunities with the needs of the agricultural industry. Additionally, we supported project activities by helping convene employer luncheons, participating in the advisory committee, and conducting outreach efforts, sharing updates, and promoting program awareness. These contributions continue to support the project as it expands training and career pathways for Spanish-speaking farmworkers across the Capital Region.
Key Priorities
The AgHiRE Project focuses on developing agricultural supervisors, providing Spanish-speaking farmworkers with the skills and support they need to advance into positions with greater responsibility and pay. By strengthening supervisor development, the program also helps employers meet evolving workforce demands and build a more capable, resilient team. At the same time, AgHiRE works to improve access to professional development opportunities and raise awareness of career advancement within the agricultural industry.
Supported by High Road Training Partnership and Catalyst Funds
The AgHiRE Project was initially piloted in Yolo County through funding from the California Workforce Development Board’s High Road Training Partnership (HRTP) program, which supports innovative workforce models that advance equity and job quality. Building on that foundation, the We Prosper Together Catalyst Fund is supporting regional partnership efforts to explore the expansion of AgHiRE into Yuba, Sutter, and Colusa counties. Learn more about the Catalyst Fund here.
Get Involved
Help shape the future of agricultural careers in the Sacramento region. To learn more about the AgHiRE Project or explore ways to participate, contact Liz Kilkenny at Liz.Kilkenny@valleyvision.org or visit the Center for Land-Based Learning’s AgHiRE page for more information.
Apprenticeships in the Capital Region
Why Choose an Apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships provide hands-on training and a clear path to a rewarding career. In the Capital Region, these programs are tailored to meet the needs of industries like healthcare, technology, and construction, helping participants build skills and connections.
Benefits of Apprenticeships
- Earn a wage while learning valuable skills.
- Gain industry-recognized credentials.
- Work alongside experienced professionals.
- Access pathways to long-term career growth.
Innovative Programs
Valley Vision works to connect apprenticeships in the Capital Region through partnerships with local employers and educators. Explore their initiatives to see how they’re shaping the future of work.
Hear from Apprenticeship Programs
Watch this video to learn how apprenticeships are transforming lives in the Capital Region.
Visual Overview
This guide highlights key facts about apprenticeships in California.