Program Components:

Academic/remedial support

Collaborative funding

Curriculum development

Interim Dean, JDIF Program Coordinator

Sponsored Research and Grants

West Valley-Mission Community College District

14000 Fruitvale Avenue

Saratoga, CA 95070-5698

(408) 741-2095

(408) 741-2190 (fax)

Christina_oborn@wvmccd.cc.ca.us

and skill barriers to hiring. The grant set out to work with employers and employees to

insure that those needing employment can effectively enter the workforce and incumbent

workers can move up the career ladder.

The idea for the grant came out of work done via a contract with the county jail to teach

minimum security inmates landscape maintenance. While looking for companies to hire

the trained inmates upon release, a gap in trained employees was identified. Additionally,

there were a large number of Spanish speaking employees who did not have the technical

skills or the language ability to advance to foreman, team lead, or account manager.

experience and little English language ability. The second is for incumbent workers to

enable them to move up the career ladder effectively. A final piece of the grant was the

development of a resource directory for services and courses around Santa Clara and San

Mateo Counties.

by horticulture professionals. The course covers the safe use and care of power tools,

pruning, pesticide application, CPR, and industry specific vocational ESL. The course

includes field trips to nurseries as well as hands-on work on the campus. At the end of the

course there is an employment assistance component, with most leads coming from the

industry itself.

hours), installation and maintenance of irrigation systems (24 hours), the development of

supervisory skills (8 hours), continued vocational ESL (30 hours), command Spanish (18 -

24 hours), and Train-the Trainer (8 hours).

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To date, there have been 3 entry level classes with approximately 20 students per class.

Additionally, there have been two incumbent worker classes with approximately 10 in each

course. Each class costs $25.00 per person.

Program Assistant.

Gardening and landscape maintenance tools, tool shed

Practice sites on campus

Compiled binder of materials covering safety regulations, use and care of hand and power

tools, landscaping techniques, etc. All materials are in English.

The grant also purchased for each student boots, jeans, gloves, ear plugs, safety goggles,

helmets, and work t-shirts.

September 2006. They received $597,000 total for two years.

was effective and yielded serious students. Ads in the “throw-away” papers and Penny

Saver paper were less effective. 2. Outreach through Community Based Organizations

(such as Good Will, the Workforce Investment Board, One Stop Centers, Adult Schools,

and the San Jose job corps) was effective.

workers in the classes as many of them got jobs during the course of the class and quit.