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Students will receive Google IT Support training at the Elmwood Correctional Facility for tech careers, thanks to a $500k grant.

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, February 16, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) has awarded San José City College (SJCC) a $490,990 grant to partner with the Santa Clara County Elmwood Correctional Facility to provide data communications networks apprenticeships to the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated.

The CCCCO's California Apprenticeship Initiative (CAI) will fund the training at Elmwood and placement of students for SJCC's Computer User Specialist (Google IT Support) Apprenticeship with various departments within the County of Santa Clara, community organizations, and private corporations.

"The partnership will address the needs of under-represented incarcerated and formerly incarcerated groups by offering an affordable, high-quality, accelerated education," said Lena Tran, SJCC Vice-President of Strategic Partnerships and Workforce Innovation. "It will prove its value by placing students into careers that we will measure for success."

The hands-on, project-based approach to learning holds a powerful appeal for students and employers. Students will learn innovative technical skills and be challenged to build working products and deploy them in real-world situations. No prerequisites are required to enter the program – merely a solid motivation to work hard and learn. Leading technology companies sponsor most of the projects.

"Our amazing partnership with SJCC, which is a part of the Sheriff Office's College Collaborative, is designed to improve the lives of justice-involved individuals at the Elmwood Correctional Facility," said Laurie Smith, Santa Clara County Sheriff. "Together, we believe it is our job to provide individuals hope and rehabilitation by offering them educational opportunities that can lead to employment."

The Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas provides care, housing, and retention of approximately 2,600 medium- and minimum-security male inmates and hosts many volunteers and program staff. Nearly all of the individuals housed at Elmwood will re-enter society at some point and face the challenges of finding sustainable employment with the added burden of a criminal record and an inadequate education with few job-related skills.

Far too many of these individuals re-offend and find themselves back in custody within three years. Not only does this vicious cycle of recidivism cost the families, victims, and offenders time and money, the County spends millions processing and rehousing them when they return to custody. On average, formerly incarcerated people earn half a million dollars less over their careers than they might have otherwise. These earning losses entrench poverty.

"Our college is resolved to ensure that our educational programs and services are defined by equity, opportunity, and social justice," said Dr. Rowena M. Tomaneng, SJCC President. "Our partnership with the Elmwood Correctional Facility reflects SJCC's commitment to serving our students and community with innovative, life-changing programs."

With SJCC's Google IT Apprenticeship training at Elmwood, students will analyze, test, troubleshoot, and evaluate existing network systems, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), cloud networks, and other data communications networks. The program provides 144 instructional hours in the classroom.

The College aims to graduate 120 apprentices for the program. The graduates will receive employment while their skills are fresh. Santa Clara County, the Elmwood Correctional Facility, and SJCC will partner with workforce training providers to offer career workshops, career counseling, job development, and on-the-job training placements.

The SJCC CAI grant is part of more than $45 million awarded to new and innovative programs across the California Community College system. The grant period will begin April 1, 2022, and may extend three years until March 31, 2025.

About San José City College
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, San José City College has enjoyed the community's support since its founding in 1921. Generations of families have trusted SJCC, which has delivered innovative career education programs, guaranteed college transfers, and life-changing educational opportunities. Learn more at www.sjcc.edu or follow us @SJCityCollege on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

Daniel Rivera Garza
San Jose City College
+1 408-288-3163
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