Dear Sacramento community,

Two-year colleges have always held a special place in the heart of the community to which they belong.

For local aspiring students, two-year colleges are synonymous with opportunity. They hold the promise of a better life through affordable education and self-empowerment. They hold the key to the job students have always wanted to do and the life they have always wanted to live.

For local industry and business, two-year colleges are synonymous with abundance. As astute observers of the community that surrounds them, two-year college faculty, staff and administrators often tailor their courses and programs to respond to the very needs of local employers, thus guaranteeing a continual influx of highly qualified workers trained in sectors that promote the economic prosperity of the area.

This symbiotic relationship between community colleges, students and employers has always greatly contributed to the economic vitality of the Sacramento region.

In these times of economic duress, we, as a community, must rely on this close relationship in a new way. Together, we must not only prepare a young workforce to enter the job market, we must also help members of our community transition to new careers in the wake of layoffs and financial hardships.

That's why we have chosen to focus this issue of CityAdvantage on reinvention. In the following pages, you will meet two students who entirely re-created themselves through their education at City College. Their stories are inspiring testaments that all goals are within reach for those who earnestly apply themselves. You will also find out about "recession-proof" jobs, and how with our short-term programs and certificates of achievement, you too can soon be in a recession-proof career.

As repeatedly stated by the current administration, American community colleges have the capacity to put the national economy back on track. Here at City College, we take on this role not as a challenge, but as an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to Sacramento and its greater region. In times of struggle, whether economic or social, Sacramento City College remains a supportive institution, dedicated to improving the conditions of local families and businesses, and the broader network of lives we touch.