The Division of Adult and Career Education (DACE) can jump-start your brand new career in a matter of months — and it won’t break the bank
Did you know adult education can offer you unique career training opportunities you can’t find anywhere else in the region?
“We’re one of the few institutions that I know of where a person can go from not speaking a word of English to becoming a bilingual pharmacy technician within 18 months or less,” said Joseph Stark, Executive Director of the Division of Adult and Career Education (DACE). “Our focus is on equipping students with marketable career technical skills.”
“Students come to our schools for a path to the American dream.”
Joseph Stark, DACE Executive Director
DACE meets students where they are and — through integrated programs — quickly moves them to where they want to be. This might mean ESL classes combined with career training, so you are learning English that specifically relates to your field of study. Or it might be basic skills education that also counts toward your high school diploma or supports a particular trade — such as learning math formulas required for electrical work.
“The programs we offer are accessible on-ramps for students,” Stark said, adding most can be completed within six months to a year. “Our training is geared toward middle-skill jobs, where there is tremendous opportunity — for example — health care, construction, and I.T.”
Many of DACE’s classes are free. Others have nominal fees, but through a strong partnership with the City of Los Angeles WorkSource Centers, students can obtain funding support to cover all training costs and supplies, which eliminates the need for student loans. When DACE students graduate, they are prepared for entry-level as well as specialized occupations, including apprenticeships in high-demand industries.
“Someone graduating from an expensive private college may have enormous student loan debt with no real job prospects,” Stark said, “At the end of our training programs, you come out with no debt and often start earning immediately.”
Stark believes adult education allows people to reinvent themselves — because they need to learn English, missed getting a high school diploma, aren’t interested in college, or need retraining after being laid off.
“We have students from all walks of life,” he said. “Students come to our schools for a path to the American dream.”
For more information, visit https://laraec.org/.
Written by Thea Marie Rood
| Regions | Classes |
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| Southern California | Variety of Classes |
