(Los Angeles, CA) – On April 19, the Los Angeles Orange County Regional Consortium (LAOCRC) celebrated the opening of its Los Angeles Regional Office. The new location at 350 S. Bixel Street, Los Angeles, enables the LAOCRC to provide administrative oversight for the $89 million regional investment in
Strong Workforce Program for member community college districts/colleges and external partners in both Los Angeles County and Orange County.
“This collaboration will effectively support the workforce and economic development needs of the two counties, and ultimately help position the region's students for academic and career success," stated Rancho Santiago Community College District Chancellor (RSCCD) and LAOCRC Fiscal Agent, Dr. Raul Rodriguez.
Supporting LAOCRC Executive Director,
Dr. Adriene “Alex" Davis at the opening were:
“Our two-county, regional strategy through Strong Workforce is designed to support workforce development and job training programs for Los Angeles and Orange County students and adults that improve their economic mobility," stated LACCD Chancellor and LAOCRC CEO Executive Committee
Chair,
Dr. Francisco C. Rodriguez. “Our 28 community colleges are investing in and developing programs that respond to the skills and employment needs of the region. The positive impact to the community is a diverse, well-skilled population of graduates who will be employed in high-paying, benefit-rich careers."
“This office is a testament to the collaborative spirit and intention to create an educational and workforce development system that truly supports everyone," said Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “Through enhanced engagement and cross-sector collaboration, we are bridging the gap between the needs of our workforce and employers while strengthening our community college programs. Together, we are targeting and supporting our most disadvantaged residents, who far too often face significant barriers to employment, who would benefit from this stepping stone to economic opportunity and mobility."
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About the LAOCRC
Established in 1994 and sponsored by the Carl D. Perkins Act through the CCCCO, the LAOCRC is one of
seven regional consortia hosted regionally throughout California and is comprised of 28 community colleges across 15 community college districts. The LAOCRC is the two-county, regional infrastructure used to convene member college stakeholders and partners in monthly standing business, collaborative, and sub-regional meetings. These meetings include facilitating and recommending new career education programs, providing professional development, convening an ecosystem of natural partner collaborations with college partners, as well as facilitating updates on Perkins V and administering fiscal and programmatic activities for regional Strong Workforce Program allocation distributions of region-wide and sector-focus projects.
In January 2019, college presidents and regional leaders and external partners came together to conduct their first regional retreat with over 150 attendees that focused on regional collaboration and partnerships to serve the workforce and economic development needs of the two counties. Positioned as the epitome of collaborative partnerships, the LAOCRC is committed to codifying the investments made to set the region's students for academic and career success.
About the Educational Services Division at Rancho Santiago Community College District
The
Educational Services Division at RSCCD serves as the fiscal agent, under the leadership of Dr. Enrique Perez, and receives funding from Perkins 1B that undergirds the operational side of the LAOCRC, and Strong Workforce Program 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20 allocations, as well as K12 SWP allocations for Los Angeles and Orange County and Key Talent investments for distribution state-wide, from the CCCCO. RSCCD is committed to supporting the LAOCRC with its efforts to ensure fiscal and programmatic support reaches the community college campus level and communities in which the colleges serve to provide assistance to all partners.
