Our Institutions

CCCAOE Represents California’s 116 Community Colleges

Our member colleges are spread across 8 unique regions. Select a region below to learn more about their leadership, priorities, goals, and the community colleges that make up each region.

Discover Our State’s Unique Regions

North / Far North Region

Chair: Blaine Smith

Smithbl@butte.edu

 

There are 15 colleges in the North/Far North Region spreading their influence from Woodland at their southern end and all the way north to the Oregon border. Colleges in this region serve a mostly rural student population, and have large successful programs focused on Agriculture, Forestry, and Construction trades among others.

Priority Sectors

  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Advanced Transportation & Logistics
  • Agriculture, Water & Environmental Technologies (AWET)
  • Business & Entrepreneurship
  • Energy, Construction & Utilities
  • Global Trade
  • Health
  • Information & Communication Technologies (ICT)/Digital Media
  • Retail/Hospitality/Tourism

STRONG WORKFORCE REGIONAL PLAN – OVERARCHING GOALS

  • Degrees & Certificates. Increase by at least 20 percent the number of California Community College students annually who acquire associate degrees, credentials, certificates, or specific skill sets that prepare them for an in-demand job.
  • Transfers. Increase by 35 percent the number of California Community College students transferring annually to a University of California or a California State University.
  • Associate Degree Units. Decrease the average number of units accumulated by California Community College students earning associate degrees to 79 total units.
  • Employment. Increase the percent of exiting CTE students who report being employed in their field of study to 69 percent.
  • Equity Gap. Reduce equity gaps across all of the above measures through faster improvements among underrepresented student groups by 40 percent.
  • Achievement Gap. Reduce achievement gaps across all of the above measures through faster improvements among colleges located in regions with the lowest educational attainment.

Colleges in this Region

San Francisco Bay Area Region

Chair: Rock Pfotenhauer

rock@baccc.net

 

There are 28 colleges in the San Francisco Bay Area Region. This region may not have cover the largest land area but it serves more students than nearly all the others. Colleges in this region are working to build pathways for bay area students to advance in business & entrepreneurship, biotech, health, and global trade among many other areas.

Priority Sectors

  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Advanced Transportation & Logistics
  • Agriculture, Water & Environmental Technologies (AWET)
  • Business & Entrepreneurship
  • Energy, Construction & Utilities
  • Global Trade
  • Health
  • Information & Communication Technologies (ICT)/Digital Media
  • Life Sciences/Biotech
  • Retail/Hospitality/Tourism

BAY AREA REGIONAL WORKFORCE PLAN – OVERARCHING GOALS

  • Provide pathways that enable all Bay Area students to find employment and advance to livable wages.
  • Meet the needs of employers in the Bay Region for well-qualified candidates for positions that pay livable wages, particularly in labor market priority* areas.
  • Ensure equity in participation, completion, and employment.

Colleges in this Region

Central Valley and Mother Lode Region

Chair: Janice Offenbach

Janice.offenbach@reedleycollege.edu

 

There are 14 colleges in the Central Valley and Mother Lode Region impacting education in the center of California. Colleges in this region span from Ridgecrest in the southeast to Stockton in the northwest and focus on using data to reach the needs of their regional workforce. Popular programs include advanced manufacturing, health, and environmental technologies among others.

Priority Sectors

  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Agriculture, Water & Environmental Technologies (AWET)
  • Business & Entrepreneurship
  • Energy, Construction & Utilities
  • Global Trade
  • Health
  • Information & Communication Technologies (ICT)/Digital Media
  • Retail/Hospitality/Tourism

STRONG WORKFORCE REGIONAL PLAN – OVERARCHING GOALS

  • Regional Leadership & Communication – Cultivate and develop regional leadership and support structures that improve outcomes in the region’s priority sectors.
  • Regional Planning – Intentional planning and deliberate collaboration to prepare students to enter the workforce educated for tomorrow’s jobs in pathways supported by labor market data in the CRC’s industry sectors that offer living wage and higher paying, middle-skill jobs.
  • Curriculum, Programs and Pathways – Build and Clarify the Path.
  • CTE Student Support Services – Enter the Path, Stay on the Path and Ensure Learning, Employment Preparation and Transition to Work.
  • Research and Data – Foster the use of data (Launchboard, LMI, etc.), inquiry, and evidence to achieve SWP metrics and Vision for Success.

Colleges in this Region

South Central Coast Region

Chair: Luann Swanberg

lrswanberg@pipeline.sbcc.edu

 

Co-Chair: Diane Hollems

diane.hollems@gmail.com

 

There are 8 colleges in the South Central Coast Region focused on serving local and regional industry needs with strengthened K-16 to CTE career pathways. Colleges in this region are focused on energy, construction & utilities sectors as well as global trade and information technology to name a few.

Priority Sectors

  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Agriculture, Water & Environmental Technologies (AWET)
  •  Health
  • Business & Entrepreneurship
  • Energy, Construction & Utilities
  • Global Trade
  • Information & Communication Technologies (ICT)/Digital Media

STRONG WORKFORCE REGIONAL PLAN – OVERARCHING GOALS

  • Strengthen communication, coordination, and timely decision-making in regional CTE efforts.
  • Enhance participation in CTE Career Pathways between K-16.
  • Reinforce regional leadership and operational partnerships among K12, community colleges, industry, labor, and other workforce and economic development entities to improve the delivery of all CTE efforts.
  • Align college programs with local and regional and industry needs and provide support for CTE programs.
  • Create a public outreach campaign for industry, high school students, counselors, parents, faculty, staff, and the community at large to promote career development and attainment and the value of career technical education.

Colleges in this Region

Los Angeles Region

LARC Chair/Assistant Vice President – Dr. Narineh Makijan

nmakijan@pasadena.edu

 

There is a consortium of 19 community colleges, and their work extends beyond the borders of our campuses. They’re advocates of regional change, focused on opening doors for adult, disenfranchised, and incumbent workers; facilitating upskilling for the region’s existing labor force; expanding employment opportunities for students, and offering more highly trained candidates for employers.

Priority Sectors

  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Advanced Transportation & Logistics
  • Energy, Construction & Utilities
  • Health
  • Life Sciences/Biotech
  • Retail/Hospitality/Tourism

LOS ANGELES COUNTY STRONG WORKFORCE REGIONAL PLAN – STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

  • Maximizing sustained industry engagement
  • Strengthening career pathways and programs of study
  • Expanding opportunities for work-based learning
  • Attending to the need for new Career Technical Education (CTE) faculty recruitment and professional development and externships for current faculty
  • Addressing the needs of business and industry in identified priority and emerging sectors
  • Supporting regional marketing, curriculum alignment, streamlined regional processes, regional labor market data collection, and analysis for data-informed decision-making

Colleges in this Region

Los Angeles

Orange County Region

Executive Director: Adriene “Alex” Davis

davis_adriene@rsccd.edu

 

OC Director: Jesse Crete

Crete_Jesse@rsccd.edu

 

There are 10 colleges in the Orange County Region. The region has been described as an urban oasis, boasting the highest population of Southern California inhabitants at just over 57% of the 10 total counties that make-up its boundaries. Colleges in this region are focused on expanding opportunities for on the job training and emerging sectors in the life sciences, biotech, tourism, health, and advanced transportation and logistics along with many others.

Priority Sectors

  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Advanced Transportation & Logistics
  • Business & Entrepreneurship
  • Energy, Construction & Utilities
  • Global Trade
  • Health
  • Information & Communication Technologies (ICT)/Digital Media
  • Life Sciences/Biotech
  • Retail/Hospitality/Tourism

ORANGE COUNTY STRONG WORKFORCE REGIONAL PLAN – OVERARCHING GOALS

  • Improved opportunities for students in career pathways in the region’s priority sectors
  • Effective coordination of job placement, work-based learning opportunities, and internships
  • Regional industry engagement and co-investment in Career Education

Colleges in this Region

Orange

Inland Empire Desert Region

Chair: Julie Pehkonen

julie.pehkonen@rcc.edu

 

There are 12 colleges in the Inland Empire/Desert Region covering over 27,000 square miles and serving a diverse community of 4.4 million residents. The region is a hub for technology, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics and transportation with their efforts focused on well articulated career pathways and students achieving economic prosperity. Colleges in this region are focused on advanced manufacturing, energy, business, and communication among others.

Colleges in this Region

  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Advanced Transportation & Logistics
  • Business & Entrepreneurship
  • Energy, Construction & Utilities
  • Health
  • Information & Communication Technologies (ICT)/Digital Media

IEDRC STRONG WORKFORCE REGIONAL PLAN – OVERARCHING GOALS

  • Regional Leadership and Priority Sectors: Cultivate and develop regional leadership and support structures that improve outcomes in the region’s priority sectors.
  • Build and Clarify the Path: Design well-articulated career education pathways that increase the likelihood of students achieving economic prosperity.
  • Enter the Path: Ensure that potential students are aware of career education pathways through effective career exploration, communication, and outreach.
  • Stay on the Path and Ensure Learning: Facilitate student progression and completion in career education pathways.
  • Employment Preparation and Transition to Work: Provide diverse opportunities that prepare students for a seamless transition into careers or career advancement.

Colleges in this Region

San Diego/Imperial Region

Chair: Danene Brown

danene.brown@gcccd.edu

 

There are 10 colleges in the San Diego/Imperial Region developing high level industry-education partnerships. Institutions in this region shape education from Carlsbad at the northern edge to Imperial in the east and the Mexican border to the south. Colleges in this region are focused on information and communication technologies as well as advanced manufacturing, health and biotech.

Priority Sectors

  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Advanced Transportation & Logistics
  • Business & Entrepreneurship
  • Energy, Construction & Utilities
  • Health
  • Information & Communication Technologies (ICT)/Digital Media
  • Life Sciences/Biotech

SAN DIEGO/IMPERIAL REGIONAL CONSORTIUM STRONG WORKFORCE REGIONAL PLAN

The San Diego Imperial Counties Region made the commitment to use their regional funding to invest in an infrastructure that would bring more students into the community colleges from area high schools and adult education and noncredit programs and improve the outcomes of students who enroll in the colleges. The investments are:

  • Pre-College Outreach and Career Pathways
  • Guided Career Pathways: Employment readiness, work-based learning and job placement
  • Marketing
  • Improving the Student Enrollment Experience
  • Labor Market Research

Employer engagement is central to aligning our programs of study with industry demand, providing work-based learning for our students and job placement opportunities for our students. All of our investments are grounded in data research.

Colleges in this Region

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