Building an Entrepreneurial Workforce

Mark sits down with Willy Duncan, President of Sierra College, to talk about the critical role that this community college plays in paving the path to success for students of all ages in our region.  From offering an affordable and accessible steppingstone to a four-year degree to upskilling mid-career adults and so much more, Sierra College has a demonstrated track record of being agile, responsive and impactful with the programs and resources it designs and delivers.  In recent years, the College has increased its focus on innovation and entrepreneurship with a goal of equipping students with an entrepreneurial mindset, skillset and toolset that can serve them well no matter the career path they choose.  They’ve launched a new state of the art Makerspace, where students across disciplines can come to prototype products and test their ideas.  They’ve partnered with Lemelson-MIT on the i3 program (Invention & Inclusive Innovation) to teach students about problem identification and real solution creation. They’ve established a mentor network and entrepreneurship council to build connections between successful local entrepreneurs and business leaders with their students.  And most recently, they’ve onboarded a new Entrepreneur in Residence (the Growth Factory will be leading this effort) to support in connecting more deeply with the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem among other things.  Tune in for this inspiring and informative episode about one of our region’s most valuable assets!