The California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) recently announced the award of $3.5 million in High Roads Training Partnership (HRTP) funding to the San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD). This marks SBCCD’s third successful HRTP application, bringing $19.5 million to the Inland Empire for workforce training programs collectively spanning all 12 of the IE’s community colleges.
“Our community wants more access to hands-on training that leads to good-paying careers close to home. This award helps us deliver on that priority,” said Dr. Diana Z. Rodriguez, Chancellor of SBCCD, which oversees Crafton Hills College and San Bernardino Valley College. “We’re grateful to our partners in labor, industry, and the State of California for supporting the work happening at our colleges and investing in the future of Inland Empire families.”
CWDB’s High Road Training model promotes industry-driven, worker-centered partnerships that deliver quality jobs, equitable access to opportunity, and measurable regional economic impact. Built around collaboration among employers, labor, education, and community organizations, the High Road framework prioritizes training that leads to family-sustaining careers while advancing industry competitiveness and resilience.
SBCCD’s first HRTP award deployed a multi-sector workforce training program, which encompassed the healthcare, logistics, water utility operations, and utility line clearance sectors. This initial $8 million investment from the CWDB was then supplemented by a second $8 million grant award for an expansion of the initiative focused on training healthcare workers.
Now approved for funding, the district’s third HRTP project focused on the four priority job creation sectors identified in the Thrive Inland SoCal Regional Plan: advanced manufacturing, clean economy adoption, clean economy innovation, and cybersecurity. This brings the region’s High Road Training model into direct alignment with California’s Jobs First initiative.
CPPG’s Director of Grant Services Jake Whitaker has stewarded the development of all three successful HRTP applications in collaboration with the district, along with the district’s most recent $3.9 million High Road Construction Careers (HRCC) award. On the most recent HRTP application, he led a project team that included Grant Writing Consultant Heather Montano and Grant Services Assistant Kylie Sheridan. CPPG has provided grant writing services to SBCCD since September 2021, when they became the first client of the firm’s newly formed grant services practice. Over the span of this partnership, CPPG’s team has secured over $43 million in funding for SBCCD’s educational programs and facilities.
“Strengthened by the CWDB’s investment and SBCCD’s strong partnerships throughout the Inland Empire, the work we are doing will shape generations to come. We appreciate CPPG’s expertise and collaborative approach, particularly their ability to structure complex projects in a clear and actionable way,” said Director Kurt Augsburger, who oversees implementation of the district’s HRTP grants. Collectively, the state’s investment in the Inland Empire’s regional high roads initiatives have resulted in the training of 4,566 individuals since 2023.