Program Components: 

Internships

Business-community partnership

collaborative funding

Evaluation data

Gail Schwander

Dean, Workforce Development

562-938-3023

gschwandner@lbcc.edu

Michelle Whitfield

Assistant Director for Workforce Development,

Program Coordinator

562-938-3151

They are frequently the hardest to serve. Many students have never held a job, or have

been only nominally employed. Most come from the CalWORKs program, local

women’s shelters, are limited English proficient, and/or are otherwise disadvantaged.

Many students are displaced homemakers from minority homes where working outside

the home for women is not supported. However, entering the Elder Care program is often

easier for these women since the values of the culture from which they come support

women in the care-giving roles and elders are held in high regard. Thus, many of the

women found that their families supported the training as it was in keeping with their

cultural roles. The grant coordinators enhanced this through the hosting of family nights

where the families were invited to join the participants and were told of the successes, the

importance of the careers, the upward mobility or career ladders, as well as told the value

of consistent, timely attendance and homework completion.

Many of the subsequent classes were filled with family and friends of graduates. Many

subsequent enrollees were less disadvantaged and had more work experience. While the

program still maintains a general target population that is facing the barriers of poverty,

many of the students in later sessions have CNA certificates or have held other entry-level

jobs.

providing a consistent and stable career ladder to individuals entering the workforce.

college regarding developing a program. They became full partners in providing

internships, presenters, other facilities, transportation funding, etc. This collaboration was

vital to the success of the program.