RCCD Engages Jurupa Valley Community on Inland Empire Technical Trade Center Project
05/04/2026
RCCD held two public forums in the on April 14 & 16 to share plans and gather feedback on the proposed Inland Empire Technical Trade Center (IETTC), a transformative workforce development project planned for Jurupa Valley.
Held in partnership with local leaders and community members, the meetings provided an overview of the project’s academic programs, site planning and long-term vision while creating space for open dialogue and community input. The IETTC represents a significant regional investment aimed at expanding access to career technical education and strengthening workforce pathways aligned with Inland Empire industry needs.
“This meeting is designed to be informative and, most importantly, to hear your questions and comments,” said Aaron Brown, vice chancellor of business and financial services. “We truly appreciate your interest and engagement in this important community conversation.”
Board leadership emphasized the importance of community voice in shaping the project.
“We’re here to hear you. We are here to talk about what your concerns are,” said Mary Figueroa, RCCD Board of Trustees member. “The community college district belongs to the community, and so it is important that we hear from you.”
Figueroa also reaffirmed the District’s long-term commitment to collaboration, noting that the project is being developed “with you, for the people and for the students.”
Virginia Blumenthal, another RCCD Board of Trustees member, reflected on the District’s mission and connection to the region. “I am a representative of this community. Everything that we do is to better our students and our community,” she said.
RCCD Chancellor Wolde-Ab Isaac, Ph.D., highlighted the broader vision behind the project, emphasizing education as a driver of economic mobility. He added that the project aims to “enable people to move from poverty to prosperity,” reinforcing the District’s commitment to equity and opportunity. “Education is the most powerful tool that we have,” Isaac said. “We want to remove every barrier for our students. Students can be earning while learning.”
Eric Bishop, Ed.D., interim president of Riverside City College, outlined the academic vision for the center, which includes programs in health care, construction, green technology, logistics, manufacturing and entrepreneurship. “We want to be a part of this community and not apart from the community,” Bishop said. “We want to make sure that everybody sees us as a partner.”
He added that the goal is to prepare students for “high-demand, high-wage careers” while ensuring they can “work one job and not have to worry about working three jobs to support their family.”
The project’s design and planning were presented by Hussain Agah, RCCD associate vice chancellor of facilities planning and development, who emphasized that the plans remain conceptual and community-informed. “These plans are conceptual, and we will continue planning through next year,” Agah said. “A key design priority is reducing the impact to the surrounding neighborhood.”
Local partnership and long-term collaboration were also highlighted by Chris Barajas of the City of Jurupa Valley, who noted the project has been years in the making.
“This has been a journey to get us to where we are now,” Barajas said, reflecting on ongoing coordination between the city and RCCD.
The proposed IETTC will be developed on a 24-acre site 6464 33rd St, Jurupa Valley, CA 92509 and is expected to include instructional buildings, specialized labs, student support services and industry collaboration spaces. The first phase is projected to serve approximately 500 full-time equivalent students, with construction anticipated to begin in fall 2028 and completion targeted for summer 2031.
Community members raised important questions related to traffic, infrastructure, lighting and neighborhood impact. District leaders emphasized that these conversations are ongoing and will continue to shape the project moving forward.
“This is not a one-time conversation,” Figueroa said. “We are committed to working with the community as we continue this process.”
Bishop further emphasized, “I want our community to know that I am your point of contact throughout this process. Your questions, concerns and ideas matter, and I am committed to ensuring you have a direct line of communication as we move forward together.”
The IETTC project is funded through Measure CC and represents a major investment in expanding access to education, supporting workforce development and strengthening economic opportunity across the Inland Empire.
Published by External Relations & Strategic Communications