Sutter County Superintendent of Schools Tom Reusser (center) joins community members and local officials in cutting the ribbon during the grand opening of the Sutter County Career Training and Conference Center on March 25 in Yuba City.

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - Hundreds of community members, local officials and business leaders gathered for what the Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce described as its largest ribbon-cutting event to date, celebrating the opening of the Sutter County Office of Education’s new Career Training and Conference Center on March 25.

The 38,000-square-foot facility, located at 875 Harter Parkway in Yuba City, brings a wide range of workforce development and education programs under one roof, offering expanded access to career training and support services for both students and adults.

“This is a big day not just for me, but for all of you,” Sutter County Superintendent of Schools Tom Reusser said during the ceremony. “This is about community. It’s about jobs. It’s about programs for students to improve their lives and be productive in this world.”

Members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 948 stand outside the Sutter County Career Training and Conference Center ahead of a flag presentation during the ribbon cutting ceremony on March 25.

Reusser said the $25 million facility houses multiple programs, including adult education, One Stop, the Tri-County Regional Occupational Program and the county’s Career Training Center. Offerings include medical assisting, certified nursing assistant training, phlebotomy and dental assisting, as well as high school completion and continuing education courses.

For Reusser, the completion of this project has been years in the making. Portions of the property were first acquired in 2012 and 2015, but the vision did not begin moving forward until after he took office in 2018. To make the project feasible, the county consolidated resources and shifted away from leasing multiple sites.

“About three years ago, we said, ‘We’ve got to get this done,’” Reusser said. “We were paying about $50,000 a month in rent, so it made more sense to invest in our own building and consolidate everything in one place.”

Attendees gather inside the Sutter County Career Training and Conference Center during the March 25 ribbon cutting event, which drew one of the largest crowds ever for a Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce ceremony.

Previously spread across four separate locations, programs are now centralized, allowing staff and administrators to collaborate more efficiently while improving access for participants.

“This really is a one-stop shop,” Reusser said. “If someone needs career training, on-the-job training, resume help or interview preparation, they can get it all here.”

While the center primarily serves adult learners, it also supports high school students through Regional Occupational Program courses, including cosmetology and healthcare pathways. Looking ahead, Reusser said he hopes to expand programming to meet workforce demands, particularly in healthcare and first responder fields.

“There’s a big need in the medical field, so adding something like a paramedic program would be a natural next step,” he said.

Students participate in cosmetology training inside the Sutter County Career Training and Conference Center, one of several career pathways offered through the facility’s Regional Occupational Program and adult education services.

Yuba City Mayor Marc Boomgaarden said the facility represents a major investment not only for the city, but for the broader region.

“We’re proud to have this facility in Yuba City and know it will benefit not just the city, but the entire region,” Boomgaarden said. “It’s a beautiful building and a testament to everyone who helped make it happen.”

As the ceremony concluded, Reusser reflected on the scale of the new space with a touch of humor, noting that the expansive facility would be a great place to play hide-and-seek.

A visitor browses job postings at the One-Stop Job Center inside the Sutter County Career Training and Conference Center, which offers employment resources, training and career support services under one roof.