Santa Rosa Junior College Construction Training Center, Building the Workforce to Rebuild the North Bay
At a time when Sonoma County faces an urgent need for housing, climate resilience, and economic mobility, Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) has made a bold investment in the region’s future through the Construction Training Center (CTC) in Petaluma. The CTC was created to prepare a new generation of skilled trades professionals who can step directly into high-demand, living-wage careers while helping rebuild communities impacted by wildfire, aging infrastructure, and decades of underproduction in residential construction.
The need is real and immediate. Regional studies estimate that tens of thousands of housing units must be built in the coming years to stabilize rents, support employers, and keep families in the North Bay. At the same time, contractors across multiple trades report difficulty finding trained workers. The Construction Training Center sits squarely at this intersection of workforce demand and community recovery.
Backed by federal disaster recovery funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and regional philanthropic leadership, the 10,000-square-foot facility is purpose-built for hands-on learning. The Center includes specialized labs for carpentry and HVACR, flexible classrooms, indoor and outdoor training areas, and dedicated space for safety instruction, equipment operation, and wildfire-resilient practices. Located on SRJC’s Petaluma campus, students benefit from comprehensive support services, financial aid access, and bilingual assistance that removes barriers to completion.
Most importantly, the CTC is designed around a simple idea: students should leave job-ready.
