Pasadena City College (PCC) is enhancing its focus on aligning education with industry demands through partnerships, equity initiatives, and increased internship opportunities, particularly in the sports and entertainment sectors. Emphasizing sustainability and athlete mental health, these efforts aim to prepare students for emerging trends and address the challenges driven by the rapid growth of sports teams in Los Angeles. Educational programs are equipping students with specialized skills...

How can today’s workforce be prepared to connect with a global audience while still nurturing real, local community ties? At Pasadena City College’s Future of Work Conference, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo’s conversation with Julie Uhrman, co-founder of Angel City FC, offers a fresh perspective on addressing this challenge. Angel City isn’t just changing the game for women’s sports; it’s showing how a team can create a global impact while staying true to its community-focused values.  Julie’s take on...

Connecting education and industry is vital for preparing students for real-world careers. Organizations such as UNITE LA bridge school-to-career pathways, focusing on equitable transitions for marginalized communities. Central to this is a strong commitment to equity and anti-racism, integrating these values into daily practices. Alysia Bell, President of UNITE LA, champions these efforts by promoting programs to combat racism, creating internal workgroups for race equity, and emphasizing...

The sports industry plays a pivotal role in shaping the future workforce, offering a range of opportunities for individuals with diverse skills. Matt Cacciato, President and CEO of the LA Sports Council, works to bridge the gap between sports and business in Southern California. With over 3,500 colleges featuring sports business curricula, there’s a growing emphasis on multidisciplinary education to meet industry demands, particularly in cities like Los Angeles, which is preparing to host...

Los Angeles thrives on unity, innovation, and collaboration for economic growth. In this episode, we explore the intersection of major global events and local economic growth with returning guest Stephen Cheung, President of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), and the World Trade Center Los Angeles (WTCLA). As LA prepares for the 2028 Olympics and other major events, Stephen shares his insights on how these opportunities can shape the region's workforce,...

In today's fast-paced and competitive business landscape, organizations strive to stand out and retain top talent. One powerful way to achieve this is through storytelling. By crafting narratives that resonate with employees, leaders can foster a sense of belonging, purpose, and motivation within their teams. Aleya Harris, founder and CEO of The Evolution Collective Inc. and creator of Spark the Stage™, is a renowned expert in strategic storytelling. Advocating for radical authenticity, Aleya...

Higher education is a gateway to a brighter future, offering individuals the opportunity to expand their knowledge, skills, and career prospects. However, access to higher education has often been limited by factors such as cost, location, and time constraints. Shai Reshef, President of University of the People, believes education is a right, not a privilege. By removing financial and geographic barriers, the university offers accessible education to students from all backgrounds. Recognizing...

How do we dismantle the entrenched systemic barriers that hold back so many in the business world? The answer lies in access to capital, information, and networking. Nancy Swift, Executive Director at JEDI, points out that women, in particular, encounter systemic challenges, like unequal access to funding and exclusion from critical networks, making it harder to succeed in business. This is where Women's Business Centers and support systems step in, offering tailored programs that provide...

Workforce development initiatives are crucial in preparing individuals for the ever-evolving job market. As industries change and technology advances, both employees and employers need to adapt to these shifts. But where does one start? How can new workers ensure that they’re equipped to thrive in the future workforce? Since May 2000, Shelley Hoss has led the Orange County Community Foundation, focusing on workforce development. The foundation launched the Workforce Development Initiative to...

Women’s Business Centers are a hidden gem for aspiring entrepreneurs, offering invaluable support in the complex world of starting and growing a business. These centers, often overlooked, provide essential support for women looking to start and grow their own businesses. Claudia Viek, a trailblazer in the field and the Founder and Catalyst of the Invest in Women Entrepreneurship Initiative has long championed the importance of these centers. She underscores the vital role of access to...

The school-to-prison pipeline is a complex and damaging system that disproportionately affects marginalized communities, particularly people of color. This pipeline refers to the policies and practices that push students out of school and into the criminal justice system, creating long-term impacts on individuals and communities. Quan Huynh, Executive Director of Southern California at Defy Ventures, exemplifies the power of second chances. While in prison, he discovered his entrepreneurial...

Despite leading 42% of new businesses in the U.S., women are 20 times more likely to be denied traditional business loans than men, with an even larger gap for women of color. Success for women entrepreneurs hinges on a supportive ecosystem, which Women's Business Centers foster by addressing funding disparities and resource limitations. Inspired by her immigrant father's entrepreneurial spirit, Lizzy Okoro, the Interim Director of Pasadena City College’s Women’s Business Center, leverages...

Empowerment is the catalyst for change–sparking innovation, growth, and community transformation. Pasadena City College is excited to announce the Women's Business Center, a new initiative designed to foster innovation and provide tailored support to women entrepreneurs in the San Gabriel Valley. Host Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development, and Leslie Thompson, Director of Operations, explain how this center will complement the successful Small Business...

Sometimes a student's own fears can hold them back from going after their dream career. The future workforce is intimidating and it’s up to educators and career centers to support and help students navigate all of their doubts. Join in as host, Salvatrice Cummo, Ed.D. welcomes Jackie Javier, Director of the Freeman Center for Career and Completion at Pasadena City College, back to the show. They’ll discuss the services the Freeman Center offers and what the challenges are when it comes to...

Why don’t we hear about more apprenticeship opportunities for students? Today we’ll discuss the development of apprenticeships and cover what goes on behind the scenes when it comes to funding, planning, executing, and regulating these programs, and why they're so hard to come by. Digging in deep we’ll cover the barriers to apprenticeships and how we can engage and support local employers in order to create more long-lasting apprentice programming. Despite the administrative challenges,...

What does the new generation want out of their work environment? In order to appeal to the future workforce, we must shift and reimagine how jobs function. Donald Bradburn, the Director of HR Strategy Design, Workforce Planning and Analytics for Southern California and Hawaii Markets, at Kaiser Permanente is joining us today to cover what employers can do to ensure their employees keep coming back in this fast paced world. With such high rates of turnover, we must shift our approach to career...

What would a true sustainable future look like? Jaime Nack, the Founder and President of Three Squares Inc., an award winning sustainability and environmental social and corporate consulting firm is here to dive into that very question. We’ll explore the current trends within green technologies and how these trends impact the present curriculum in our colleges. The pivot to green technologies for public and private agencies is vital and in our education system is where this change begins. If...

Everything rises and falls on leadership. But what are the mindset, intentions, and actions required to be a good leader, especially when failing up isn’t an option? Dr. Rocky Cifone, Executive Coach at The John Maxwell Team, joins us today to discuss the philosophy behind good leadership. How do we assess our failures while celebrating our successes? What does it mean to be a leader of significance? And how does one pour value into others? For the answers to these questions and more, take a...

It is time to open up and diversify the education to career pathway! By developing and embracing new forms of learning methods, we can better serve students and families in less traditional or underserved populations. Joining us today is Jennifer Zeisler, Senior Program Director of Career Readiness at ECMC Foundation, a philanthropic fundraising service helping inspire and facilitate improvements that affect educational outcomes among underserved communities. By allocating grants and building...

When was the last time you learned something new? Today I’m joined today by Amrit Ahluwalia, Executive Director of Continuing Studies at Western University. You’ll learn how support students and advocates for lifelong learning through detailed publications and access to a community of industry professionals. We’ll cover what topics have been the most popular since the start of the pandemic and how other professionals can contribute. Most importantly, discover what trends we’re seeing in...

Could community college be a pattern disruptor for K-12 students primed for the prison pipeline? In this episode, host Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and Leslie Thompson, the Director of Operations, tackle the complex and often overlooked issue of the school-to-prison pipeline.  Their conversation delves into the systemic patterns that push students out of schools and into the criminal justice system, particularly affecting...

How can we actively work towards equalizing educational opportunities for all students? The goal of Kome Ajise, the Director at the Southern California Association of Governments, is to level the playing field for EVERYONE. Kome will share with us how SCAG is encouraging a more sustainable Southern California, and what their partnerships within the community look like. Through budgeting strategies, developing policies, and internship and fellowships programs, they are offering students more...

How do we help students earn more money and raise their quality of life? To start, it’s about teaching them the skills they need to increase their wages and create generational wealth for them and their families. The key is workforce training. Host Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and Leslie Thompson, the Director of Operations come together to share their views on the future of workforce training, and how we can leverage...

How do we start changing the conversation around the future of work so more students can get jobs? To best adjust the current landscape, we need to create more safe spaces that open up the dialogue around what organizations and students need in order to reach their goals. Host Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and Leslie Thompson, the Director of Operations come together to prepare and set the tone for the year ahead by recapping...