Career training and pre-apprenticeship programs at Simi Institute for Careers and Education gives students the tools to carve a career path
At one point or another, students of all ages have muttered under their breath, “When will I ever use this in real life?” For the past 33 years, Mark Sheinberg has been working to answer that question. His conclusion: Offering career technical education (CTE) courses early and often.
“I’ve been pushing this CTE agenda to replace traditional electives—that are just fun but dead-end programs—with meaningful, career-oriented trades that students can have fun with in high school, but can actually turn into potential employment beyond high school,” he says. “Although everyone should have the ability to go to college, a lot of people want to go directly into trades but they need additional certification and licensure.”
As a former middle school teacher and now assistant principal for the Simi Institute for Careers and Education in Simi Valley, Sheinberg works to help bridge the gap between high school and the working world by providing a wide variety of CTE and pre-apprenticeship programs. Offerings include computer science, health science, manufacturing, cosmetology and construction trades.
Simi Institute for Careers and Education is part of the Ventura County Adult Education Consortium (VCAEC), a partnership of schools, community organizations and workforce development agencies that help provide educational opportunities and workforce preparation for adult learners.
“I definitely want our students to be confident and competent,” says Daniel Toscano, specialty instructor for the school’s construction program. “When they leave they’re going to have a wealth of knowledge and a skill set that could pay them really, really well. It could really help their future in that industry.”
While CTE programs are offered at adult schools, Sheinberg says it’s important to introduce students to these pathways early—even at the middle and high school levels.
“One of the issues that we’re dealing with at many adult schools is there are 17 to 21-year-olds that could really benefit from this, but aren’t aware of the CTE programs and don’t take advantage of them,” he says. “In our program, we’ve had students complete high school, then complete their program here, and within a few weeks of completing high school they’re fully licensed.”
Part of the reason CTE programs are so successful is the partnerships the school and the VCAEC maintains with industry employers. Not only is coursework designed around industry needs and standards, but students can build relationships and get hands-on experience through externships or pre-apprenticeships, and many are offered jobs even before they graduate.
“This last year, we launched our carpentry building and construction trade program. We’re partnered with the Southwest and Mountain State Carpenters Guild of America. They have a large outreach program to help schools adopt their curriculum and feed directly into their paid apprenticeship model,” Sheinberg says. “If they’ve completed the hours, students will be offered a position to transfer directly into their paid apprenticeship model.”
While the cost of such training can be a barrier at private, for-profit schools, CTE courses at the Simi Institute for Careers and Education—and at other adult schools—are offered at low- to no-cost for students. And unlike programs at universities and colleges, CTE programs don’t require four years to earn a degree to start working. Ultimately, the goal of every CTE program is to provide students with the means to build a thriving, well-paid career.
“Why go through a full pre-apprenticeship into an apprenticeship? The answer is there’s a difference between a living wage and a prevailing wage and it’s higher than minimum wage,” Sheinberg says. “Tradesmen are earning $45 an hour at the prevailing wage level. That’s solid middle class. There are plenty of other valuable trades out there that aren’t going away anytime soon, that pay enough to get you into the middle class and help you fulfill your American dream.”
“There are plenty of other valuable trades out there that aren’t going away anytime soon, that pay enough to get you into the middle class and help you fulfill your American dream.”
Mark Sheinberg, Assistant Principal, Simi Institute for Careers and Education
For more information on what the Simi Institute for Careers and Education can do for you, visit www.simiinstitute.org or call 805-579-6200. For more information about the Ventura County Adult Education Consortium, go to vcaec.org.
Written by Anne Stokes
| Regions | Classes & Topics |
|---|---|
| South Coast California | Variety of Classes |
