Strengthening pathways into education and onto meaningful employment is crucial for the economic strength of the state and the economic mobility of its residents. To advance this goal, California Competes launched the Los Angeles County 2nd District California Community Colleges Career Ready Pilot (LA2CCC), a joint effort to center career readiness as a regional and campus-wide responsibility, as well as improved coordination with employers and related government agencies. California Competes partners with Compton College, El Camino College, West Los Angeles College, and the Office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell to advance a shared approach to workforce preparation that supports economic mobility for residents of central Los Angeles.
Through sustained regional, cross-sector collaboration, LA2CCC partners are working to align institutional practices, employer engagement, and county systems to better connect residents to in-demand career pathways and support regional economic growth. This regional initiative treats career readiness as a collective responsibility, one that depends on strong partnerships within and between institutions, regional employers, and local government. As the work continues, LA2CCC is serving as a learning lab for identifying and advancing promising regional practices. Insights from this collaboration are informing ongoing action planning to advance a regional vision for work-based learning and to develop strategies that can be adapted and scaled to strengthen education-to-career pathways across California.
Thank you to the California Community Foundation, ECMC Foundation, and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation for supporting this work.
