New strides and efforts are being made at EC this fall as a new Career Advancement Academy was established to help students prepare for work in vocational and technical jobs.

“The focus of this program is to have students job-ready,” Naomi Tokuda, coordinator of the Career Advancement Academy, said.

The Career Advance Academy is a one-year training program as it combines technical skills, workplace readiness workshops and academic skills; students can earn certificates and attend a job fair with EC’s partner employers.

“This is a good opportunity for me, because I get to attend a job fair at the end of this program where I could possibly get a job,” Turrell Ward, Career Advancement Academy student, said. “I don’t plan to go to a four-year college, I want to work.”

To qualify for the program, students must be between 18 to 30 years old, have no prior college experience, have a desire to improve reading, writing and mathematical skills and be eligible to work in the United States.

These academy classes are offered on both the EC and Compton College campuses. EC offers machine tool technology and welding and Compton College offers machine tool technology, aerospace fasteners and welding.

Jessica Gallegos, academy student, has enrolled in the academy under the advisement of an aerospace company that she had applied to for work as an apprentice.

“I actually did apply and interview with one of the aerospace companies as an apprentice, but I quickly learned that without any training, I would not be someone that they would be interested in hiring,” she said.

The academy is funded by a $662,700 grant that came from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

Students in this program will benefit from career skill workshops teaching resume writing, interviewing, job retention, interpersonal skills relating to the workplace, Tokuda said

“Students are already communicating with each other, helping one another out in all areas, this will be a great program,” Tokuda said.

For more information about the Career Advancement Academy contact Tokuda at [email protected], 310-660-3589.

“This is a great opportunity, I know it would be beneficial to the students,” Tokuda said.