Last month, the San Diego & Imperial Center of Excellence (COE) presented to K12 partners on the regional priorities and challenges that should guide responses to the K12 Strong Workforce Program (SWP) Request for Applications (RFA).

The session provided an overview of the five regional priorities established in the San Diego & Imperial Regional Plan:

1. Better preparing prospective students for college through outreach, alignment, and acceleration
2. Strengthening student onboarding and support to ensure career readiness
3. Involving employers in curricula, career exploration, and work-based learning (WBL) to promote socioeconomic mobility
4. Equipping colleges with data-based resources to drive equity-focused programmatic decisions
5. Increasing awareness of Career Education programs across the region

To help applicants respond effectively, the presentation framed each priority around a clear regional challenge. For example, under Regional Priority 3 pertaining to Employer Engagement, the COE emphasized that WBL opportunities are unevenly distributed, limiting equitable access for all students. Applicants were encouraged to use this type of regional framing—supported by Centers of Excellence labor market information—to define problems, craft objectives, and propose projects that directly address equity gaps and workforce needs.

Participants also received guidance on how to structure problem statements and project objectives in alignment with both the Regional Plan and Vision 2030 goals from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, such as closing equity gaps, increasing credential attainment, and strengthening workforce alignment.

By connecting the RFA process to regional challenges and data, the session aimed to ensure that funded projects will deliver measurable impact for students—especially disproportionately impacted populations—and prepare them for success in high-wage, high-demand careers.