Removing Barriers to Increased Job Placement and Work-based Learning

More than 1.8 million students attend 116 California community colleges, one of the largest educational systems in the United States. Yet, despite the size of the system and depth of our campuses, and many years of investments in academic programming, fee waivers and campus improvements, our students are increasingly stepping away from their academic paths and struggling to access work-based learning and jobs that can lead to economic mobility. This is particularly true for our students of color and low-income students. We must do better.

The Future of Work Conference seeks to identify  the challenges of connecting students to high demand jobs, including outdated regulations, bureaucratic rigidity, and longstanding misconceptions regarding the role of the community colleges and to further identify and advance legislative and operational solutions to overcoming these barriers to success.

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Conference Agenda

Time	Agenda Item	Speaker
8:00 AM	Networking/Breakfast
9:00 AM	Welcome	Dr. Erika Endrijonas, President-Superintendent, Pasadena City College
9:05 AM	Video Presentation	"Dreams of My Future" feat. Pasadena City College Student Voices
9:10 AM	Opening Remarks	Leslie Thompson, Director of Operations, Economic and Workforce Development, Pasadena City College
9:25 AM	Opening Keynote	Dr. Su Jin Jez, Executive Director, California Competes
10:00 AM	Break
10:15 AM	Fireside Conversation	Martin Hernandez, Senior Program Associate, Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture Kelly LoBianco, Director, County of Los Angeles, Department of Economic Opportunity Sandra Sanchez, Interim Vice Chancellor, California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office Will Walls, Student Leader, Pasadena City College Micah Young, M.D., Dean, Health Sciences Division, Pasadena City College Moderated by Jessica Ku Kim, Chief Deputy, County of Los Angeles, Department of Economic Opportunity
11:15 AM	Q&A
11:30 AM	Closing Keynote	Stephen Cheung, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation

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Please view our recording of last year's Future of Work Conference here.