Oakland Adult and Career Education changes lives and contributes to a stronger community
Kim Jones likens adult school to a stepping stone. It’s a place where anyone can come, find their footing, and make the leap toward a new career, citizenship, a diploma or any number of goals. Regardless of where you’re coming from, adult school can help get you where you want to be.
“Adult education programs offer hope.”
Kim Jones, Director of Oakland Adult and Career Education
“We provide opportunities and resources for people who want to go after their goals, whether that be a new job, learning English, or academic goals like high school diplomas,” says Jones, director of Oakland Adult and Career Education (OACE). “But the real benefit is to the community at large: We have an educated workforce that’s able to attract businesses to our community which provides economic advantages.”
“Adult education programs offer hope,” he says. “We offer a foundation for our students, considering a lot of our students are language learners.”
Finding acceptance and easy enrollment
Unlike similar public or private programs, OACE offers classes at little to no cost with virtually no barriers to enroll. For students without a high school diploma, there are classes to help you earn one. For those who want to learn English, there are teachers who can help. For people looking to start a new career, OACE offers several Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways that can take as little as one to three months to learn the basics for an entry-level job.
For the few courses with costs, financial help may be available to OACE students looking to continue their education. OACE’s flexible schedules offer classes during the day, evening, night and online, enabling students to fit school into their lives along with work, family and other obligations.
Support in and out of the classroom makes all the difference
Jones says understanding students’ individual needs is vital to their success. Teachers and staff work to meet them where they’re at, and to offer and connect them with appropriate support and provide a safe place for students to feel welcome.
“We literally have students who’ve walked here from Central America. … We’re asking people to come back to school, and in some cases come to school when school was never accessible,” he says. “It’s an amazing thing to watch as some of our students progress through our programs and go from ESL to high school diploma to job training. It’s a wonderful thing to see.”
Meeting students where they’re at often includes providing support outside the classroom. OACE partners with community organizations to provide employment connections, help with continuing on to higher education, finding financial assistance and more. OACE’s transition liaison connects students with support from Job Centers of America, re-entry programs, the local workforce development agencies and more.
For more information on how Oakland Adult and Career Education can help you achieve your goals, visit www.ousd.org/adult-and-career-education or call 510-879-1400.
Written by Anne Stokes
| Regions | Classes & Topics |
|---|---|
| Bay Area California | Variety of Classes – Workforce Development Board |
