Career Pathways
South Bay Adult School, Redondo Beach, CA
Providing adult learners with a broad range of academic and advising supports while earning industry-recognized credentials in a career pathway.
Description of Practice
South Bay Adult School (SBAS) is an adult education program that is part of the Redondo Beach Unified School District. SBAS Career Pathways is an integrated education and training (IET) program that prepares adult learners to complete one of five career pathways programs at El Camino College, one of SBAS’s partners within the South Bay Adult Education Consortium. Career pathways offered include Construction Technology, Machine Tool Technology, CISCO Networking Administration, Emergency Medical Technician, and Child Development.
SBAS and El Camino College work in partnership to coenroll adult education learners who receive additional academic and advising support while participating in El Camino College’s in-depth IET programs. Learners take a prescribed sequence of courses that culminates in an El Camino College certificate of accomplishment, an industry-recognized credential, and employment or apprenticeship opportunities with partner employers. Learners can earn stackable credentials and can exit or continue with the program at multiple points.
Innovative Features
- SBAS’s academic bridge course makes the pathway from basic skills to college certificate and industry credentials more efficient, particularly for ESL learners.
- Courses are cotaught by an SBAS ESL or basic skills instructor and an El Camino College instructor. SBAS provides funding for the instructors to meet weekly in support lab sessions to discuss learners’ progress, coordinate efforts, and plan lessons.
- Intensive support services from an SBAS transitions manager and El Camino College counselor bolster learners at specific benchmarks in their progress through the program.
- SBAS and El Camino College work with the South Bay Workforce Investment Board to provide learners with job and apprenticeship placement and co-enrollment in WIOA Title I paid work experiences.
Target Population and Requirements
SBAS Career Pathways is open to ABE and English language learners at any skill level. No prerequisite skills are required. To enroll in El Camino College, learners must have a high school diploma or equivalent; however, they do not need to take the college entrance test if they have been enrolled in SBAS.
Resources Needed to Implement Program
Each occupational ESL, basic skills, and workforce development course has a designated syllabus and a series of lesson plans that accompany it. SBAS pays for all the materials and school supplies listed in the course syllabus, including learner fees and books. El Camino College supplies the industry-specific equipment and technology required for the career pathways.
Program Contact
South Bay Adult School
Redondo Beach Unified School District
3401 Inglewood Avenue
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
(310) 937-3340
www.southbayadult.org
Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)
Jennings County Education Center, North Vernon, IN
Adults living in a rural area can access a nationally recognized credential in the health care field while developing their reading and math skills.
Description of Practice
Jennings County Education Center’s (JCEC) Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) program is an IET program for adult learners that began in 2018. The program enables adult learners to develop their basic skills in reading, writing, and math while pursuing a Clinical Medical Assistant certificate, a nationally recognized credential issued by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
During the CCMA program, JCEC’s adult education instructors deliver 20 hours of contextualized academic skills instruction in math, reading, and language to assist learners with the CCMA coursework. Learners without a high school diploma or equivalent who enroll in the CCMA IET program receive additional support throughout the program to pass the TASC™, a requirement for taking the NHA’s CCMA certification exam.
Learners complete 140 hours of CCMA instruction delivered by Vincennes University staff, coupled with additional academic supports and reinforcement from a JCEC adult education instructor. After completing the CCMA course, learners participate in 80 hours of a clinical externship in local hospitals, which support the IET program by offering job interviews for program completers. Additionally, learners receive 14 hours of employability skills instruction, financial support, and job search and placement assistance.
Innovative Features
- The program is delivered in a rural area far from community colleges or private occupational training providers. By bringing qualified occupational instructors to the learners, the program eliminates transportation barriers.
- JCEC offers training providers free physical space to deliver the CCMA courses.
- The CCMA credential enables learners to obtain a job that is above entry level.
Target Population and Requirements
The CCMA IET program typically serves adults enrolled in JCEC or the Governor’s Next Level Jobs Initiative who have Test for Adult Basic Skills (TABE®) scores at National Reporting System (NRS) Level 4 in reading and math. Learners must have a high school diploma or earn an HSE by passing the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC™) before they can take NHA’s CCMA certification exam. Learners also must complete the appropriate health screening and background checks before beginning a clinical externship.
Resources Needed to Implement Program
JCEC must partner with a CCMA training provider to deliver the CCMA IET. JCEC also needs partnerships with community organizations to be able to refer learners to wraparound and support services. WorkOne Career Centers pay for health screening and background check fees for learners who are coenrolled in WorkOne.
Program Contact
Jennings County Education Center
Jennings County School Corporation
100 South Webster Street
North Vernon, IN 47265
(812) 346-7830 or (812) 592-3546
https://jcec.jcsc.org/