
The City of San Diego, as part of its initiative to bolster employee skillsets and career progress, has announced a suite of educational partnerships providing a mix of free and discounted educational opportunities. According to a recent announcement, the City Council has approved collaborations with four educational institutions to align with their economic development strategy and address the workforce's quest for higher learning as expressed in a 2024 employee satisfaction survey.
Christina Bibler, the Economic Development Department Director, conveyed that after an extensive survey revealing 48% of city employees' interest in furthering education, the city crafted educational partnerships that were strategically selected. Bibler announced, “We are fortunate to be able to offer these new educational partnerships to the City’s workforce through our Corporate Partnership Program,” in a statement to Inside San Diego. These partnerships, specifically with the National University, San Diego College of Continuing Education, University of California San Diego Division of Extended Studies, and UC San Diego Rady School of Management, intend to provide discounts and scholarships and pave the way for comprehensive workforce development.
In response to the educational partnerships, Julie Rasco from the Human Resources Department emphasized that the city is dedicated to fostering a learning culture. "The City strives to create a culture of learning and to provide pathways for career growth and development for every employee,” Rasco told Inside San Diego. The program details include a 25% tuition discount on undergrad programs at National University, with three new educational partners also providing substantial benefits, including five annual fellowships at the Rady School of Management.
Advocates for the new educational opportunities are not scarce. Dr. Mark D. Milliron of National University described the employees of San Diego as exemplars of the 'And-ers'—individuals who juggle education, work, and personal responsibilities. "We are delighted to partner with the city to create pathways for these students to advance their educations and their careers,” Milliron explained in a statement broadcasted by Inside San Diego. Additionally, the president of San Diego College of Continuing Education, Tina M. King, Ed.D., expressed enthusiasm about offering no-cost educational courses to enhance the professional growth of city employees.