Career Advancement Academy starts with success
Computer Aided Manufacturing Director Dr. Vicki Pontius
When you walk into the Computer Aided Manufacturing classroom in T-103, you will see 20-25 eager students on computers learning how to design various tools with special software programs. This class trains students in concept design with computer design software. It is an essential part of learning how to design various products and also includes the set-up and building of their project.
“There is an identified need for students in vocational education to acquire the English, math, computer training, and job readiness skills necessary to seek full time employment,” said Career Advancement Academy Coordinator Tamara Glover. “These types of skills were identified by local employers as the missing piece for people who were looking for entry level jobs,” she added.
The new Career Advancement Academy (CAA) at Fresno City College is now providing that specialized training, which started during the 2008 summer session with students enrolled in various automotive and welding courses. The CAA is also providing basic skills classes in English and math.
“The mission of a community college is to provide the education and training needed for students to join the workforce and become successful in their careers and lives.”–Rick Christl
“The mission of a community college is to provide the education and training needed for students to join the workforce and become successful in their careers and lives,” said Dean of Instruction for the Applied Technology Division Rick Christl. “We are now providing more access to the students who need it most through the new Career Advancement Academy,” he said.
Nationally, 83 percent of employers say they need employees with computer skills. The CAA is funded through Senate Bill 70, which was passed in 2005 as part of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Initiative on Improving and Strengthening Career Technical Education (CTE). It is a collaboration between other community colleges in the Central Valley, the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board, the Fresno County Office of Education, local high schools, and the Regional Occupational Programs in the valley.
One of the first students to receive a certificate of training in the Automotive Service Advisor Program this summer was Joseph S. Peckham. He was the student speaker at the student recognition ceremony on July 30, 2008.
For Peckham, 23, it has been a life-saver. He graduated from Kingsburg High School in 2003, had problems with drug and alcohol use, and eventually landed in prison. “I never thought I would go to prison,” said Peckham. “It was a big wake-up call for me.”
Peckham enrolled in two classes during the 2008 spring semester and has never looked back. “I was really nervous that first day of school. Mark McNiff, an EOP&S educational advisor, helped me out at the beginning of the semester and gave me a tour of the campus and showed me where my classes were located,” he said.
Peckham made the Dean’s List his first semester, which boosted his confidence level and made him realize he could succeed in college. This semester Peckham is taking 12 units, which include both Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing. “I can now create my own work, and I am building a portfolio to show to potential employers,” he said. Next semester he will be take another 12 units in the advance Computer Aided Manufacturing classes.
“Fresno City College is a place where our students have a wide range of resources to help them with school and their lives,” said Dr. Vicki Pontius, a director for CAA. “We know they can succeed with the support of the uniquely qualified faculty, as well as staff members in Financial Aid, Counseling, the Career Center, Tutorial Center, and CalWORKs,” she said. “There is such a wonderful cross-section of passionate individuals at FCC who want these students to succeed.”
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