Campus, state agencies to prepare leadership pipeline

Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez speaks at a news conference announcing the start of a new leadership development program to help state agencies prepare for the impending retirement of hundreds of employees. He is joined by Caltrans Director Will Kempton (left) and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Secretary Roderick Q. Hickman (far left).

President Alexander Gonzalez, along with California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Secretary Roderick Q. Hickman, and Caltrans Director Will Kempton, kicked off an innovative Leadership Development Program Jan. 11 aimed at preparing the next generation of leaders in state government.

The program—which will be offered through the College of Continuing Education—is designed to address the fast-approaching retirement of the majority of state agency managers and leaders. Agencies such as Caltrans and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, two of the largest departments in state government, face an urgent need for a succession plan that takes into account available time, money and resources. By partnering with the already-established leadership programs of the College of Continuing Education, those resources can be stretched much further.

“This partnership is a natural extension of Sacramento State’s role in educating the state’s future leaders,” said President Gonzalez. “Our location in the state capital makes us ideally positioned to help meet the current and future needs of the state government and its employees.”

Caltrans began partnering with Sacramento State on leadership development five years ago, resulting in nearly 500 graduates to meet their retirement and hiring needs. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation began its own partnership with Sacramento State last week to train replacements for an estimated 1,500 retiring correctional employees each year for the next three years.

"One of the major organizational goals for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is workforce excellence," Corrections Secretary Hickman explained. "Our success depends on our ability to attract, train, develop and retain a qualified workforce. The partnership with Sac State and Caltrans puts us on track to attain that goal and ensure that we'll have qualified employees who will be well-equipped in meeting the demands of the corrections profession.”