Community consortium bringing agencies together to train workers for high-paying tech jobs

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – A consortium of Riverside area governments, educational institutions and private businesses has been named a partner in the White House’s national TechHire Initiative and seeks to connect 4,000 local people to technology jobs in the next five years.

The inclusion of SmartRiverside TechHire in President Obama’s effort to rapidly train people for emerging careers boosts local efforts to prepare the Riverside workforce for high-paying jobs in tech fields. The victory also positions the Riverside region to compete for millions of dollars in grant funding that will be awarded later this year to help train people for tech jobs that otherwise might go unfilled.

“It pains me to think of a company struggling to fill a vacancy, so this effort is very encouraging,” Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey said. “Well-trained talent is crucial for business growth, and good-paying jobs increase the quality of life for Riverside residents. I look forward to this initiative helping us make progress on all fronts.”

The SmartRiverside TechHire community includes the SmartRiverside non-profit that helps residents gain access to computers, Riverside County Workforce Development Agency, Riverside Community College District, Vocademy makerspace and the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce.

The more than 30 regional employers and other organizations involved in the effort include:  Riverside University Medical Center, Parkview Hospital, Garner Holt Productions, ESRI, Riverside Public Utilities, Zodiac Aerospace, Paulson Manufacturing, Xerox, and Bourns, Inc. SmartRiverside TechHire invites all employers with similar recruiting needs to participate and collaborate.

These nontraditional pathways will be developed by the local makerspace Vocademy, the Riverside Community College District and other accelerated training partner programs which will launch soon.

The employers have collectively committed to interview, hire or provide paid internships for 500 employees from nontraditional, technical pathways in 2016. These nontraditional pathways will be developed by the local makerspace Vocademy, the Riverside Community College District and other accelerated training partner programs.

Career opportunities include cybersecurity, data analytics, healthcare IT, web and mobile development, CADCAM, electronics and robotics, and CNC Machining.

“We are very fortunate to have so many high-quality partners in business and education,” said Steve Massa, Riverside’s Economic Development Coordinator, who has worked closely on the project. “This effort holds great promise for reducing not just unemployment, but also under-employment by giving people the tools they need to access better paying jobs.”