Sacramento, CA, January 21, 2026 – As Californians seek to upskill, reskill, and pivot into high-demand fields to increase their economic mobility, Calbright College is entering a partnership with Western Governors University (WGU) to help students meet their education and career goals and in turn, strengthen the talent pipeline for industries facing persistent workforce shortages. The partnership supports working-age adults who have started an educational pathway and need a flexible, workforce-aligned way to finish a degree and move into essential jobs across the state.
For working-age adults, finishing a degree can be difficult because of cost, scheduling constraints, family responsibilities, or life circumstances that interrupt progress. At the same time, employers in critical industries, including health care, education and technology, continue to face shortages and evolving skill needs. Expanding access to affordable, workforce-aligned education is one way to help close these gaps and improve job mobility for Californians.
“Calbright and WGU share a commitment to expanding pathways for working-age adults to high-quality, skills-based education and career opportunities,” said Ajita Talwalker Menon, President and CEO of Calbright College. “This partnership ensures more Californians can access the flexible, scaffolded support learners need to master both technical and durable skills. This guarantees they are not only prepared for today’s workforce but are resilient enough to thrive as regional and state labor markets evolve.”
Through this partnership, Calbright students can apply previously earned credits and certificates toward WGU degree programs aligned with California’s workforce needs. This approach helps learners build on what they have already earned, move from certificates to degrees, and step into careers that strengthen California’s economy, while also giving employers access to new and diverse talent pipelines.
Roseville resident, WGU student, and Calbright alumnus Dennis Maksimov is just one example of how the model works. After a life-changing event interrupted Maksimov’s goal of completing a bachelor’s degree, with the support of his family and community, he returned to school, using the credits he had earned to pursue an education and a new career in cybersecurity. “Calbright College was the training wheels. It showed me I could do this, and WGU is where I’m riding the bike toward my degree,” said Maksimov.
Maksimov is now pursuing a B.S. in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance at WGU and expects to graduate in 2026. He previously worked in the healthcare field and hopes to combine that experience with his cybersecurity training to build a career protecting healthcare systems and patients.
Stories like Maksimov’s highlight the value of like-minded organizations dedicated to helping students complete degrees while aligning curriculum with workforce demand.
“Too many working-age learners lose time and momentum when their prior learning doesn’t count,” said Rick Benbow, Regional Vice President for WGU’s West region. “This collaboration with Calbright is about honoring skills already earned and creating clear, affordable pathways that help Californians move certificates to degrees and then into careers that matter to the state’s economy.”
This collaboration is part of Calbright’s greater mission to expand access and pathways to learning opportunities that drive success for working-age adults as they navigate the modern, evolving regional and statewide labor market. In addition to working with organizations focused on workforce development, Calbright is committed to creating seamless higher education experiences and accelerated workforcement achievement that students demand and need now.
###
About Calbright College
Calbright College is a new kind of community college designed to support the needs and goals of adult learners. Established in 2018, Calbright is a statewide, online, and flexible California Community College that offers accessible and career-focused programs — based on in-demand skills from IT to Project Management to Data Analysis. Calbright’s free and flexibly paced model, which utilizes competency-based education, works within the schedules of California’s working-age adults to provide the rigor of higher education without the logistical hurdles of a traditional institution.
About WGU
WGU is transforming higher education to be more student-centric, affordable, accessible and relevant to the workforce. Established as a nonprofit in 1997 by 19 visionary U.S. governors, WGU creates life-changing pathways to opportunity for those underserved by traditional institutions — working adults, historically underrepresented communities and a diverse, growing number of learners looking for a flexible, online model. WGU’s competency-based education model allows students to demonstrate mastery as they progress through programs at their own pace. Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, WGU operates in all 50 states and offers more than 112 degree and certificate programs. WGU serves more than 193,000 students nationwide, with more than 410,000 alumni and has awarded more than 460,000 degrees. Learn more at wgu.edu.
