Comstock's magazine 0819 - August 2019 | Page 31

jobs that will need to be filled are in areas that we don’t even have a name for today, so being very nimble in identifying what the workforce needs are and responding to them has never been more important. We are having discussions about the California Mobility Center, with a focus on advanced manufacturing, so that’s a great example of how SMUD, Sacramento State, UC Davis and we are having conversations about what will those jobs of the future look like. The California Mobility Center will focus on things like autonomous ve- hicles and electric forms of transportation … so there will be new manufacturing pro- cesses and a great role for Los Rios colleges to be involved in advanced manufacturing training. We had wonderful news from (Gov. Gavin Newsom’s) budget that state bond funding will be released — almost $100 million for our four colleges. In the coming months, that will help us start construction on other major projects that have been in development. That’s a good day when you hear $100 million of needed capital funds are coming our way. (The funds are for) a new science building at Folsom Lake College, an expansion of American River College’s Natomas Center, and an expansion of Cosumnes River College’s Elk Grove Center. In addition, the funds will support a new career technical ed- ucation building at American River Col- lege. (These are) wonderful projects for our students and the Capital Region. n I see the construction work going on at Sacramento City College. Are there any other big construction projects or facility upgrades planned at any of the campuses? Sena Christian is managing editor of Comstock’s. On Twitter @SenaCChristian or senachristian.com. Los Rios’ Recent Announcement: • Sutter Health, Safe Credit Union, Wells Fargo and VSP Global will contribute a total of $752,500 to the Los Rios Promise Program, resulting in 1,234 scholarships to help cover the costs of textbooks and living expenses for low- income students. • These funds “build on the state’s newly announced two-year California College Promise Program, which guarantees free tuition for all first- time, full-time California community college students,” according to a press release from Los Rios’ Office of Communications. The Railyards and its shops were once the largest industrial site west of the Mississippi and a center of innovation in the Railroad industry. It is with this history that the Railyards draws its vision for The Foundry as a future center for innovation in the Sacramento region. Coming Soon... Visit us at www.Railyards.com SacramentoRailyards @theSacRailyards August 2019 | comstocksmag.com 31