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Sutter Health announced it would invest $2 million to expand Sierra College’s allied health programs, increasing the college’s capacity to train future healthcare professionals on campus.
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The college has enrolled 1,800 pre-nursing students as of fall 2025, according to campus officials.
Sierra College Superintendent and President Willy Duncan said the investment supports both the region’s healthcare system and the broader community.
“Healthcare is vital to our regional economy and quality of life, and we are thrilled to continue our partnership with Sutter Health to meet this workforce challenge head-on with expanded access to rewarding, good-paying careers,” he said.
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Tammy Powers, CEO of Sutter Roseville Medical Center, said workforce development remains a priority for Sutter Health.
“To maximize our impact as a not-for-profit health system, we focus on pressing community needs that emerge across every region we serve. Workforce development is one of those key areas, and investments like this help address California’s healthcare workforce shortage and support regional economic opportunity,” she said.
Before the latest investment, Sutter Health had funded projects to expand lecture and lab space for the nursing, medical assistant and surgical technology programs, restore space for the phlebotomy program and create a larger simulated operating room.
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By fall, Sierra College plans to expand enrollment capacity in its emergency medical technician, advanced EMT and paramedic programs.
Officials said future phases of the project would expand allied health program capacity and align with the Rocklin campus modernization project currently underway.
At full build-out, anticipated in spring 2028, Sierra College’s Allied Health Training Center is expected to serve as a regional hub for healthcare workforce training.
Sierra College’s allied health programs offer associate degrees, certificates of achievement and skills certificates in registered nursing, surgical technology, behavioral technician training, phlebotomy, EMT, paramedic studies and medical assisting. The college also offers cross-enrollment with Sacramento State for a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
Sierra College launched its surgical technology program in 2025 to address a shortage of surgical technicians in the region. The one-year program costs less than $5,000, and graduates are expected to earn about $90,000 annually. Officials said the donation will help create dedicated lab space for the program.
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