Few students say that they want to be logistics professionals when they grow up. However, demand has never been higher in a global economy driven increasingly by online commerce.

A unique partnership between the Port of Long Beach and Long Beach Unified School District is providing high school students with training and professional experience to learn about career pathways available in logistics and related industries — with the goal of establishing a pathway to higher education. Read More →

Photo credit: Cypress College

A Winning Partnership!

A dual enrollment program between Cypress College and Western High School proved to be a winning partnership earlier this spring at the Orange County Automobile Dealers Association (OCADA) 26th annual Automotive Technology Competition, held March 23 at Hyundai Motor America.

The team of five students from Western high school take automotive courses at Cypress College. The competition prizes included more than $11,000 in Snap-On Tools, $30,000 in scholarships, and a 2018 Hyundai that was won by the Western high school students for their automotive shop, as a result of their first-place team score.

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Stephanie Feger, Project Director, Educational Services

Advanced Transportation and Logistics is one of the priority industry sectors on a new website that provides information about jobs and careers to community college students.

The TalentED Story Map allows students to visualize regional workforce needs and available educational opportunities. Counselors can also help others plan out a career path that reflects personal and financial goals.

The project is led by the Coast District under the direction of Project Director Stephanie Feger. It is funded through the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Strong Workforce Program. Read More →

GA-ASI MQ-9B SkyGuardian – TA Flight 07118-1 (General Atomics)

In two short years, Victor Valley College students interested in Aviation careers can become certified Avionics Technicians for remotely piloted aircraft.

The best part, they get paid during training that will provide them with an opportunity to gain experience and develop a skillset.  Thanks to a $692,000 grant awarded to Victor Valley College from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office and a partnership with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), the ETAP (Electronics Technician Apprenticeship Program) will provide valuable career training and skills required for employment opportunities in an in-demand and fast growing industry sector. Read More →

Katie Mishler brings years of logistics and education experience to the critical role of Advanced Transportation and Logistics Deputy Sector Navigator for the Los Angeles Region, hosted at Cerritos College.

Mishler has worked at Cerritos College since 2011 in the Advanced Transportation, Technology, and Energy Center. She worked with municipalities across southern California to assist with grants, infrastructure projects, and alternative fuel training development. She also serves as the Long Beach Clean Cities Assistant Coordinator, a program funded by the Department of Energy that focuses on fossil fuel reduction.

As Deputy Sector Navigator, she will be an industry liaison for the region, connecting education with industry to address and fill workforce gaps and assist in curriculum and career pathway program development.

“I’m very interested in building and expanding relationships with colleges in the LA region, and also work on connecting colleges with K-12 and pathway development,” Mishler said. “Throughout my career, I have worked closely with local community college automotive programs to assist with grant procurement, and program development in alternative fuels.”

Mishler holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in history from California State University, Los Angeles, and has been an adjunct faculty member at Cerritos College and Cypress College.

Jaime Gonzalez caught the automotive bug turning wrenches with his dad as a kid.

Since then, he’s worked as an automotive employee, business owner, and educator. He brings all of that experience to his new role as Advanced Transportation and Logistics Deputy Sector Navigator for the Orange County Region, hosted at Golden West College.

Gonzalez attended the Regional Occupational Program at South El Monte High School, which lead to his first job at a high-performance machine shop. He earned an associate degree in Natural Science while working full-time.

He spent 10 years as an automotive employee and then became a business owner. He’s also served as an automotive instructor at Cerritos College.

Gonzalez still holds the passion for automotive technology that he developed as a kid. He is excited to combine his personal and professional experiences in his new role as DSN.

“I am passionate about emerging technologies in the transportation sector,” Gonzalez said. “In collaboration with the Community Colleges and industry experts, I am excited to facilitate innovative training solutions for tomorrow’s highly-skilled workforce.”

Across the country, cities and towns of all sizes are being asked to do more with less. Training and professional development are often the first things to be cut when budgets shrink.

Community colleges throughout California through the Advanced Transportation and Logistics Sector are working with the Municipal Equipment Maintenance Association (MEMA) to provide training for municipal fleet employees, as well as helping MEMA members obtain funding to support training.

MEMA’s mission is to improve the quality of service in the public sector by providing a forum for the free exchange of experience, technical knowledge, ideas and opinions that enhance the delivery of public services and promote the personal and professional growth for its members. The organization’s members include fleet and operations managers at the city and county level. Read More →

Dan Vidakovich, Hardware and Prototyping Manager from Lyft Level 5’s Engineering Center

Through its Level 5 lab, Lyft is hoping to merge autonomous vehicles with ride sharing to revolutionize the transportation experience.

These changes mean that automotive education programs will need to keep pace to keep students employable upon graduation.

In January, faculty and administrators from throughout Bay Area toured Lyft Level 5 and learned how they can help their students stay on top of this rapidly-changing field. The visit was coordinated by Pam Gutman, Advanced Transportation and Logistics Deputy Sector Navigator in the Bay Area.

The group met with Dan Vidakovich, Hardware and Prototyping Manager from Lyft Level 5’s Engineering Center. Vidakovich started this lab two years ago with 12 employees. He now has more than 400 employees, and more than 80 percent of them are software engineers with four-year degrees or more. Read More →

Autonomous Electric Utility Vehicle

Autonomous vehicles are changing the automotive industry, but some employers say that automotive degrees and certificates are stuck in the 1990s.

How can community colleges prepare students for the jobs of today and tomorrow? A recent meeting brought together leaders from industry and education to examine that question.

In November, automotive faculty from the Bay Area and Southern California came together for The Automotive Marketplace, the first major event of the Automotive Regional Joint Venture Project, NextGen AutoTech. More than 25 faculty from 14 colleges attended, along with representatives from BMW, Bosch, Ford, Lyft Level 5, and Tesla. Automotive faculty from San Jose State University also participated in the day’s events. Read More →