California Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell recently visited Boulevard Cadillac to meet Cerritos Auto Tech student Jessie Perez, who is currently enrolled in GM’s Automotive Service Educational Program.
Boulevard Cadillac General Manager Chad Charon brought Perez to the dealership about 18 months ago and paired him with one of his organization’s key master techs.
“It’s been great,” said Charon. “We need more like him.”
O’Donnell has authored career tech legislation and got a firsthand look at how it is put to use on a daily basis. He represents the 70th Assembly District that encompasses Long Beach and Signal Hill dealers.
Cerritos College partners with the Southland Motor Car Dealers Association on a program that allows students like Perez to work at a dealership while attending classes. The partnership has existed for more than a decade.
Southern California is home to the largest concentration of automotive dealers in the country. The Advanced Transportation Technology Center at Cerritos College develops and improves the industry’s workforce to meet the evolving needs of the automotive industry.
