Employer Partnership BriefingCosumnes River College · HawksPrepared August 2026
Connect. Prepare. Succeed.
Building the Sacramento region’s future workforce.
Koby Rodríguez, Ed.D. (he/him) · Employer Engagement Liaison · Cosumnes River College
15 sectionsFive-minute readPrepared for review
The question every employer asks03
What your organization gains10
Sacramento’s talent pipeline04
A different kind of partnership05
Workforce development is community development12
Your organization × Cosumnes River College
Before I tell you about CRC, I’d like to learn about yours — two questions worth sitting with as you read.
What workforce challenges are you trying to solve?
What positions are hardest to recruit for?
Where will your next generation of talent come from?
What if the answer was already here?
70% of employers now use skills-based hiring to find talent — up from 65% last year. (NACE, Job Outlook 2026)
It starts here.
students preparing to enter Sacramento’s workforce
are first-generation college students
of CRC students are low-income
The future workforce isn’t waiting to graduate. They’re ready to contribute now.
What if partnership looked different?
You’re not simply hiring an intern. You’re joining an ecosystem built to prepare students and support employers.
How I approach employer engagement.
Understand workforce needs before offering solutions.
Design opportunities that create value for employers and students.
Ongoing guidance through Career Services, Work Experience, faculty, and Handshake.
Transform one internship into a long-term workforce partnership.
Handshake makes reaching our students effortless.
41% of the Class of 2025 applied to an internship through Handshake — up from 34% two years earlier. Demand is outpacing supply. (Handshake, 2025)
Why It Works For You
- Reach 17,500+ students — plus all other Los Rios students — with one posting
- Screen, message, and schedule interviews in one place
- Fill roles faster with built-in candidate matching
- See real-time posting, event, and hiring insights
How I’ll Support You
- Post a role in minutes, track applicants & hires
- Onboarding and orientation handled for you
- Faculty connections and Work Experience guidance built in
We prepare students for what’s next.
Through intentional support, real-world experience, and strong partnerships, CRC builds the skills, confidence, and connections students need to thrive at work.
Career development in coursework, Work Experience courses, career exploration across programs
Credit & non-credit Work Experience, internships & job shadowing, hands-on, résumé-building fieldwork
1:1 career coaching, résumé & cover letter help, interview preparation
Résumé & interview workshops, Handshake & LinkedIn training, career fairs and employer panels
Guest speakers & site visits, career fairs & networking, partnerships that open doors
Support for every career goal, equity-focused services, a team for every step
You’re not inheriting first-day-of-work employees. You’re opting into an ecosystem that has already prepared students — and keeps supporting them.
One successful internship shouldn’t be the end of our partnership. It should be the beginning.
What your organization gains.
· Access emerging talent
· Lower recruitment risk
· Build a future hiring pipeline
· Fresh ideas and perspectives
· Professional development for staff mentors
· A trusted higher education partner
· Meaningful community impact
What students gain.
· Real-world experience
· Professional confidence
· Career exploration
· Industry connections
· Academic credit
· Paid work opportunities
· Professional mentorship
Prepared students become prepared employees.
Strong partnerships strengthen communities.
Throughout my career, I’ve built partnerships across healthcare, government, higher education, nonprofits, business, and behavioral health. You will be joining this ecosystem.
Success is measured together.
For Employers
Quality talent, reduced hiring risk, repeat engagement, future employees
For Students
Experience, confidence, employment, career readiness
For CRC
Strong partnerships, meaningful learning, regional impact
Listen. Connect. Support. Problem solve. Celebrate success. Continue growing our partnership.
You’ll never feel like you’re navigating this partnership alone.
Let’s build the Sacramento region’s future workforce together.
Koby Rodríguez, Ed.D. · Employer Engagement Liaison · Cosumnes River College