Riverside City College Hosts Successful Riverside Workforce Business Summit, Welcomes 67 Representatives from 40+ Local Businesses

Riverside City College, in partnership with Riverside County Workforce Development and the California Employers Association (CEA), hosted a highly successful Riverside Workforce Business Summit on February 10, welcoming 67 representatives from more than 40 local businesses to campus.

The half-day, in-person summit provided employers with practical tools and resources focused on hiring best practices and leadership communication. The event was coordinated by Meriel Anderson-McDade, RCC Job Developer, and served as a strong example of regional collaboration to support workforce development and employer engagement.

The summit included sessions on “Hire Right the First Time,” presented by Astrid Servin, HR Director for CEA, and “Communicate Like a Leader,” presented by Kim Gusman, President and CEO of CEA. The workshops focused on helping employers craft effective job advertisements, identify strong candidates, navigate key hiring steps, and strengthen leadership communication skills.

“It was a pleasure presenting on hiring basics to such an engaged group,” said Astrid A. Servin, PHRca, Human Resources Director. “I also appreciated the strong sense of collaboration among all the partners as it truly felt like together we made a real impact on the attendees.”

“What a beautiful campus and professional setting to talk with leaders,” added Kim Gusman, President & CEO of the California Employers Association. “The RCC staff made everything so easy for the presenters and so welcoming for the attendees. The energy level was high and the entire event was a huge success!”

Feedback from attendees reflected overwhelmingly positive evaluations, with participants consistently rating the content, organization, and presenters highly. Comments included:

• “Learned a lot. Information very clear. Loved all speakers.”
• “Great overall information.”
• "Everything was amazing. The speakers were amazing.”
• “Excellent information. Very helpful.”

The event was designed specifically for employers and included participation from local business leaders, workforce partners, and RCCD’s Human Resources & Employee Relations team. Complimentary registration and free parking helped ensure strong regional participation.

“This was such a great employer engagement collaboration between RCC, our local Riverside Workforce Development partners, and the California Employer Association,” said Anderson-McDade. “I was so very excited about this opportunity to bring employers to RCC and establish meaningful partnerships with them.”

The impact of the summit is already being realized. Two new businesses have expressed interest in participating in RCC’s upcoming Culinary Job Fair in April, demonstrating the immediate value of relationship-building and employer engagement.

By hosting employer-focused events on campus, Riverside City College continues to strengthen its role as a regional workforce hub; bringing industry leaders together, fostering meaningful partnerships, and supporting economic development throughout Riverside County.