California Career Education, Reaching All Communities Throughout California Career Education

The California Community Colleges has launched a  Spanish-language version of itsCareer Education website. The website offers visitors the opportunity to explore the more than 200 career education training programs, search for local community college campuses and obtain information on how to apply to a community college and financial aid.

With 38 percentof Californians being Spanish-language speakers and 29 percent using Spanish as their primary language at home, the Spanish-translated site is critical to helping close the state’s growing gap in its skilled workforce. By 2020, it’s expected that 65 percent of all jobs in the U.S. economy will require some form of training beyond high school. Career education (at both the high school and college level), which includes hands-on training and apprenticeships, is critical to both America’s workforce and U.S. economic competitiveness. It’s also helping California maintain its position as the newly ranked fifth largest economy in the world.

Along with the Spanish website, California community colleges is also including a Spanish-language Career Education online toolkit with marketing materials that can be used by all California community college campuses and their partners.

To promote the launch of the Spanish-language website, the Chancellor’s Office launched a Spanish-language advertising campaign. The campaign focuses on a variety of career education programs offered at California community colleges throughout the state and includes both Spanish language radio and digital advertisements.

Also in May, the Career Education campaign held its third meeting with the California Career Education Black/African-American Advisory Panel. The statewide Panel was assembled to help raise awareness among black and African-American students about career education opportunities available at California community colleges throughout the state. The 23-member Panel is comprised of statewide influencers from various fields including employment/unions, education and the faith-based community.

The Panel began planning for the first California Community Colleges Town Hall scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on October 16. The purpose of this town hall is to hear first-hand, the challenges the black/African-American community face when seeking higher education and how the California Community Colleges can help break down barriers. Subject-matter experts will discuss success factors for blacks and African-Americans in higher education. The “I Can Afford College” and Associate Degree for Transfer campaigns will join the Career Education campaign to provide helpful information about the statewide offerings at California community colleges. The Town Hall will have representation from local community colleges in the Los Angeles area to interact with prospective students and their parents.

The Career Education campaign is dedicated to providing important information to all communities throughout California about the career education opportunities to them through California community colleges.

(Pictured, Left to Right): Cassandra H.B. Jennings, Advisory Panel Co-chair and President & CEO, Greater Sacramento Urban League; Michael Poindexter, Vice President, Student Services, Sacramento City College; Ray King, President & CEO, San Diego Urban League; Stephen Baiter, Executive Director, Oakland Workforce Development Board; Valerie Lynne Shaw, Board of Governors, California Community Colleges; Janet Clark, Principal, JClark Enterprises; Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley, California Community Colleges; Pastor Paul L. Binion II, Senior Pastor, Westside Church of God; Gilles Djomani Fomben Sylvain, Student Outreach Fellow, YI Advisors; Tarik Scott, Assistant Director, Program Innovation, SEIU United Healthcare Workers; Pamela Haynes, Board of Governors, California Community Colleges; Brian King, Chancellor, Los Rios Community College District; Paige Marlatt Dorr, Director of Communications, California Community Colleges; and Gregg Irish, Advisory Panel Co-chair and Executive Director, City of Los Angeles Workforce Development Board.