Photo courtesy of Golden West College
An Alternative Pathway to an Automotive Education
With the automotive program at Santa Ana College at capacity and frequently with a waiting list, Golden West College offers high school students an alternative pathway to an automotive education and opened its facilities to 35 students from Valley High School on December 6.
Golden West College is located less than 10 miles from Valley High School and the schools already have an articulation agreement in place. The Automotive Technology Pathway Day was designed to show students the opportunities available to them through hands-on demonstrations, a financial aid workshop, and industry updates.
“This pathway day offered students an alternative option to an automotive program within the community college system in the event that seats are not available at Santa Ana College,” said Jamie Gonzalez, ATL Regional Director for Orange County.
Nearly all of Valley High School’s students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, and many are first-generation high school graduates.
The Automotive Academy at Valley High School, supported by High School Inc. is one of only three high school automotive programs in Orange County to be certified through the National Automotive Technician Education Foundation (NATEF). In addition, Auto Academy students are able to earn Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifications during high school, which are an industry requirement for technicians.
Dorsie Brooks, Grants and Career Education Coordinator at Golden West College, said she appreciates the support from Gonzalez and ATL sector to meet enrollment goals and provide an important resource for high school students who want an automotive education.
“We feel that bringing students onto the campus and into our classrooms and labs creates a connection between the student and college. It is important for the students to visualize themselves at college to know that they belong,” Brooks said. “These partnerships between student services, career education, and the Regional Director create a better experience for the student and hopefully gives them tools to make decisions on their career path.”
