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CITY OF BARSTOW
Office of the City Manager
220 E. Mountain View Street, Suite A Barstow, CA 92311 760-256-3531 BarstowCa.org January 7, 2026
Dee Dee Myers
Senior Advisor and Director
Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development
1325 J Street, Suite 1800
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Director Myers,
On behalf of the City of Barstow, I am pleased to submit this Letter of Support for Barstow Community College (BCC) and its participation in the Inland Empire High Tech Collaborative project cluster under the California Jobs First Regional Investment Initiative (RII).
The City of Barstow strongly supports BCC’s proposed High Tech Workforce Accelerator, a critical component of a coordinated regional strategy to position the Inland Empire—and particularly the North High Desert—as a competitive hub for advanced manufacturing, automation, unmanned systems, electromechanical technologies, and emerging high-tech industries. This project directly aligns with the City’s long-term economic development objectives, which emphasize workforce readiness, economic diversification, and access to high-quality career pathways for local residents.
Barstow is currently experiencing significant investment momentum, including major infrastructure, logistics, and clean-energy related development activity. While these investments represent important opportunities for economic growth, the City recognizes that long-term regional resilience depends on cultivating a skilled, adaptable workforce capable of supporting multiple industry clusters. The High Tech Workforce Accelerator addresses this need by expanding industry-aligned training capacity and providing residents with transferable, in-demand skills that support both current and future employers.
The City views BCC’s role in this regional collaboration as essential. By extending high-skill technical training into the North High Desert, the High Tech Workforce Accelerator advances geographic equity and ensures that communities outside the region’s traditional employment centers can directly participate in—and benefit from—the Inland Empire’s emerging high-tech economy. The Accelerator also complements broader regional efforts focused on cybersecurity, artificial ____________________________________________________________________________
CITY OF BARSTOW
Office of the City Manager
220 E. Mountain View Street, Suite A Barstow, CA 92311 760-256-3531 BarstowCa.org intelligence, data infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing by supplying jobready talent for employers seeking to locate or expand operations within the region.
Beyond workforce development, the City of Barstow recognizes the High Tech Workforce Accelerator as a catalyst for entrepreneurship, supplier development, and business attraction. A reliable pipeline of skilled technicians and operators is foundational to
attracting private investment, supporting defense and clean-tech supply chains, and enabling adaptive reuse of industrial facilities. This initiative strengthens Barstow’s value proposition as a community that is not only strategically located, but also prepared to support innovation and long-term job creation.
If funded, the City of Barstow commits to continued collaboration with Barstow Community College and regional partners to support implementation of the High Tech Workforce Accelerator. This includes alignment with City economic development priorities, participation in regional planning and coordination efforts, facilitation of connections with employers and industry stakeholders, and support for outreach efforts that connect local residents to training and career opportunities generated through this project.
The City of Barstow appreciates your consideration of this application and strongly supports the High Tech Workforce Accelerator as a strategic investment in workforce development, regional competitiveness, and a diversified, resilient Inland Empire economy.
Sincerely,
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Timothy R. Silva
Mayor
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Rochelle Clayton
City Manager