Women seeking new venues of employment are finding diversified opportunities in the Women in Technology (WIT). program. The goal of the program is to fill positions in the technological fields with women who have trained on campus in one of the fourteen fields offered.  

“We are able to offer many opportunities to women that were once impossible to find. It’s possible to take a basis welding class, with a female welding teacher, and without a lot of prerequisites,” Naomi Tokuda, CTE Pipeline Teacher, said. 

Since 2005 the campus has “provided a place on campus for women because they are underrepresented in the fields of computer technology and construction technology,” Victoria Martinez, WIT program coordinator, said. 

 The age of the students range from high school graduates to adults reentering the education experience.

“Women are actually preferred in the fields we offer, and in Engineering Technology there are many openings. They work with robotic components and materials, and on campus we have a Robotic Club. We are attending a conference soon for a Robotics Competition,” Martinez said.

Once a student has applied to the program, they are offered choices for training, and eligible to obtain certificates in such classes as Computer aided-Design/Drafting, Automotive Technology and Fire and Emergency Technology.  

Grants are available from Southern California Edison and Nissan for students that are in the program, Martinez said.

There are industry tours the students take to experience the workplace they might choose in various disciplines. Guest speakers come to campus to discuss the job possibilities with them also. 

One of the places students will be visiting this semester will be NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Martinez said.

“I’m training to be a Parole Officer after I fulfill my 60 units. I’ll go to California State University, Dominguez Hills to my BA,” Samantha Parker, 21, administration of justice major, said. 

Employment, internship assistance, One-on-one counseling, childcare services and off-campus apprenticeships are offered by the program.. WIT also provides mentors for each student, a peer support group, and math and English tutoring is available as well as advisory meetings every semester.