1. California Advancement
Academies
Meg Long, Deputy Director OMG Center
June 25, 2013
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2. Initiative Overview
 2001 Ladders of Opportunity policy
statement and the basic skills
conundrum
 Changing industry needs
 High wage industry jobs go to workers
with PS degree
 Under-served Californians lacking basic
skills
 Career Ladders from “low-paying
work to jobs with a future”
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3. Overview cont’d
 2004 California Gateway Project
 Private dollars
 12 colleges
 Focus on transitioning foster youth
 Bridges to PS training in high-
wage, high growth fields
 2007 Career Advancement
Academies
 SB 70 funds plus private dollars
 5million in 29 out of 112 colleges
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4. CAA structure
Phase 2: $2.3 million, 15 colleges
 CAA elements
 Flexible framework vs. model
 Incentives for institutional change
 Employer and community partnerships
 Learning community
 Technical assistance from Career
Ladders project
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5. The CAA framework
 Industry responsive technical
training
 Contextualized basic skills
 Student cohorts
 “Transitions” supports
 Intensive student support services
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6. 15 CAA Pathways
 Arts, Media, Entertainm
ent
 Agric., Natural
Resources
 Bldg.
Trades, Construction
 Energy, Utilities
 Ed, Child Devpt, Family
Srvcs
 Engineering
 Fashion, Interior
Design
 Finance, Business
 Health
Sciences, Medical Tech
 Hospitality, Tourism, R
ec.
 Information Technology
 Manufacturing, Product
Devpt
 Marketing, Sales, Servi
ce
 Public Services
 Transportation
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7. Who are CAA students?
Student
 8,000 students to-
date
 1888 students in
2011-12
 Diverse: 52% Hispanic
and 12% AA students
(36% and 7% for CA
college system)
 High financial need:
49% qualify for BOG
waivers
Progress in one year
 76% completed all
attempted courses
 69% term to term
persistence
 34% certificate
 5% transfer or AA
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8. 8

9. Partners in CAA
 Industry
employers
 WIBs
 Community
based
organizations
 Community
colleges
 State and
county agencies
 Recruitment
 Curriculum
 Advisories
 Transition
support
 Soft skills
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10. Select lessons for the field
 Contextualization of basic skills
 Faculty collaboration
 Walls between CTE and academics
 Developmental sequences
 Institutional buy-in and change
 Relevance of certificates (7)
 Industry
 College
 Third Party
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11. Discussion
 What lessons resonate?
 What additional questions arise?
 What does the CAA story tell us
about creating partnerships in
support of job creation in the
Philadelphia community?
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12. Connect with OMG
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