First President’s Speaker Series highlights local workforce development

By Caitlin Fillmore

Big ideas and small moments in the job market were center stage at the first of Cal State Monterey Bay’s 2025-26 President’s Speaker Series on Wednesday, Nov. 12. Erik Cushman, publisher of Monterey County Weekly, delivered the keynote address, followed by a panel of CSUMB alumni who shared their experiences transitioning from college to the local workforce.

Addressing a crowd that included community members, university employees and students, Cushman began by describing some of the current investments being made in the local job market, including a $14 million project by the California Jobs First Initiative for the Central Coast region and $6.5 million from the James Irvine Foundation, which has supported local workforce-focused nonprofits such as Rancho Cielo, Digital NEST and the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association, through its Building Inclusive Economies plan.

As the chairman of the Monterey County Workforce Development board for 15 years, Cushman said education makes the most significant impact on local jobs.

“The biggest engine in workforce development is, and has always been, education,” he said.

Cushman described the various “work-based learning” initiatives being implemented in the high schools of the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, as well as Monterey Peninsula College, other area community colleges, and at universities such as CSUMB. This academic trend shows apprenticeship-prioritizing models are building momentum in today’s economic climate, with an emphasis on broad career opportunities and counseling that widens a student’s post-high school perspective, he said.

“These programs allow students time to spend time in a classroom and also on the job site to earn money and gain a sense of whether the job is a good match,” he said. “These programs are positioned to help change the binary choice facing many young people: Go to college or get a job. They can do both.” 

Next, a panel of CSUMB alumni discussed the transition from campus to a career in the local workforce. Panelists included Valerie Valdez, owner of Strength Monterey; Erik Uppman, vice president of marketing for the Cannery Row Company; Colleen Courtney, senior customer accounts manager for Central Coast Community Energy; and Sabrina Siqueiros, event sales specialist at Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Moderator Vincent LoForti, CSUMB’s director of alumni and donor relations, challenged the panelists for ways to take action with their support of CSUMB. This question prompted one of the most prolonged applause breaks of the night, when Courtney suggested supporting alumni-owned businesses, such as Valdez’s gym.

While Cushman delivered the news on big job trends, the panelists focused on the small, unexpected moments that can propel a career. These alumni highlighted the importance of studying abroad to learn diverse perspectives and completing an internship for hands-on experience. Internships also help with networking, a topic on which the panelists exchanged tips. 

“Put yourself out there and ask for help,” Courtney said. “Find that tiniest courage that you can and run with it.”

While networking can feel unnatural, the panelists agreed authentic connection was a key to their career success, particularly in Monterey County. 

“What’s incredible about this Peninsula is that we are so connected,” Uppman said. "I certainly didn’t build this career I enjoy by myself. We all have that story of the person who opened the door and got us to where we are today. And I feel the same obligation to provide for others as well.”

Siqueiros encouraged audience members to think long-term about the “small moments” that can build careers.

“Don’t focus so much on the immediate result,” Siqueiros said. “Think of the seeds you’re planting.”

Another President’s Speaker Series event is being planned for spring semester.