COC Provides Workplace Training in the SCV
The College of the Canyons class of 2023 boasts more than 2,200 graduates who together earned a total of 3,408 degrees. Many of them will transfer to top-tier four-year universities to earn bachelor’s degrees. Others, however, will launch new careers thanks to the real-world, hands-on training they received at COC. Recognized as one of the leading educational institutions in California, COC features a wide range of in-demand academic and workforce training programs. In recent years, we have been at the forefront of enhancing workplace skills and training students in today’s fast-growing fields, as well as those that are on the horizon. New programs in development include a Fire Academy, physical therapy assistant, and occupational therapy assistant, plus an Advanced Technology Center that will train students in computer numerically controlled (CNC) precision machining, industrial maintenance, robotics, mechatronics, and more.
Businesses are facing an unprecedented need to hire qualified employees with new skills to support their priorities as technology and the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted the way we work for the foreseeable future. The accelerated adoption of technology and practices that were once deemed impossible or impractical, suddenly have become the key to thriving as an organization. How do we train and educate students for the future and ensure they are equipped to succeed?
One of the key ways COC enhances workforce development is by offering a range of certificate and degree programs that focus on the acquisition of skills sought by employers. Programs like automotive technology, computer networking, medical lab technician, land surveying, construction technology, graphic design, and our other career education programs, are hands-on, with students getting real-world experience that prepares them to step into jobs after completing their studies.
Designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills and abilities they need to work in a wide variety of industries, the college awarded nearly 3,000 certificates last year! The value of earning a certificate often translates to higher earning power. In fact, students who completed career education courses in 2022 saw a 23 percent increase in median wages.
We recognize that in addition to technical skills, employers also value employees who have strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Within our programs, the college has embedded the training for students to acquire professional skills like resiliency, organizational leadership, critical thinking and much more so that these graduates are more likely to be hired upon completion. COC has also invested in state-of-the-art facilities to support our career education programs that lead to employment in high-demand, high-skills, high-wage jobs.