MiraCosta College President Appointed to Lead Task Force to Increase Workforce and Job Creation

OCEANSIDE, CA — MiraCosta College Superintendent/President Dr. Sunita Cooke has accepted a position to lead the Task Force on Workforce, Job Creation, and a Strong Economy.

Dr. Cooke and her team are charged with developing policies to prepare more students for existing high-value jobs and promoting job creation with workforce training. Ultimately, the goal is to increase the number of individuals qualified to fill in-demand, skilled jobs; to help our system be more responsive to industry needs; and to enhance the number of jobs supporting the economy of California.

“It is an honor working with the very knowledgeable members of the workforce task force, who represent our California community colleges, industry-based organizations, the Chamber of Commerce, workforce investment boards, and other community organizations to consider input from the field and make recommendations to improve our workforce training system,” says Dr. Cooke.

The task force’s work began in December 2014 with meetings at various community colleges, where staff and faculty members were asked what they think should be changed so that schools can be more responsive to employer needs.

The second phase began in January 2015 with town hall meetings across the state at which the task force will hear from elected officials, business leaders, economic development agencies, schools, labor and the public.

To see the calendar of events for the task force, go to doingwhatmatters.cccco.edu/StrongWorkforce/Events.aspx.

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.

  • Compton High School

    Compton High School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Compton High School has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.