Dr. Ricky Shabazz currently serves as San Diego City College’s president and CEO. He specializes in enrollment management and cultivating institutional policies, processes and culture that provide personalized student experiences and improves student success. Dr. Shabazz is an enthusiastic, student-centered leader with over 20 years of executive experience advancing academic achievement, educational equity, diversity and improving access to higher education. Here Ricky tells us about his passion for workforce development.
Why are you passionate about workforce development?
Workforce is what drives the economy and allows people to access above livable wage careers and the middle class. I love learning about careers where people have great wages, benefits and retirement. I love learning about careers in building, where you work with your hands and leave an imprint on our communities.
If you had $1M to donate to a workforce development program, what would you want done with it?
I would want to put more career education programs in our inner-city high schools south of the 8 freeway. We need to broaden the definition of college and training so that certain careers are valued as much as those that require a BA, MA or PhD. I would create programs and feature real people from these communities who are making incomes that exceed those with four-year college degrees.
What do you like best about being on the Workforce Development Board?
I love that we are impacting policies and communities by putting people to work in above livable wage careers. We are a practical organization that changes lives by putting people to work in high-demand sectors. This board is also courageous to tackle the social justice and equity matters that are impacting our nation and communities.
Why is workforce development important for San Diego County?
People need access to training that lead to high-demand, rewarding careers so that they can take care of their families and communities. Communities are better when people love what they do, when they earn above livable wages and our youth have clear access to careers that don’t require them to go into loads of debt.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
I spend most of my free time traveling with my family. My favorite places are the Dominican Republic and Brazil. I also love bass fishing. I spend a lot of my vacation time chasing little green fish around the state and country.