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...

How can we do a better job at providing students with opportunities that fulfill them both personally and professionally in 2024? It all begins by selecting program funding intentionally and choosing partners and projects that make a real impact on a student’s future and career path. Host Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and Leslie Thompson, the Director of Operations, reflect on the year as a whole: what worked and what needs...

What can we do to support the most vulnerable members in our society? In order to ensure the success of everyone, even students without a home, we must debunk the myths of what actually causes homelessness here in Los Angeles and throughout the entire world. We need to bring together the community, both employers and educators, to focus on jobs, childcare, transportation and other barriers that will transform the lives of the younger generation. Host Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of...

How do we really put more students on the pathway to prosperity and success? It all begins by developing infrastructure that can bridge the gap between industry and education. Listen in as Host, Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College shares a panel recap from this year's Future Of Work Conference. The panelists discuss how to develop pathways to high demand occupations and which steps they recommend taking to drive student focused...

How can educators join forces with employers to better shape the opportunities available for the future workforce? Tune in as Host, Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College introduces the keynote speaker from this year's Future of Work Conference as he tackles that very question. Guest speaker Stewart Knox, the Secretary of California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, shares how our systems are currently working and where change...

Do you know all the ways your city’s land laws might be holding the future workforce back? To uncover a positive path towards change for you and your community, Alfred Fraijo Jr. is here, he’s the Founder and Partner of the SOMOS Group– where he provides legal advice to clients pursuing innovative urban renewal projects in the inner city and other sectors with emerging markets. Host Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and Fraijo...

Attend the 5th annual Future Of Work Conference October 26th   The path to success looks different for everyone. Host Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College is joined by Dennis Rodriguez, Director of Business Development – Western US and Design Build – Governments & Environment at Black & Veatch Corporation, to dive into the fascinating world of personal development and the importance of finding your passion. Dennis has...

Change in our education systems can be uncomfortable but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t embrace it. Host Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College, and Leslie Thompson, the Director of Operations, dive into the exciting details of the upcoming Future of Work Conference on October 26th. Where did the idea come from, what new lessons can you expect, and what topics are top of mind for this year’s conference? Join them as they cover all of...

How can community colleges partner with their respective cities? What new opportunities are out there, and how can we offer them to more constituents? Which incentives will help us expand job training and mental health services? Formal education is important, but it’s even more important to remember it comes in many different shapes and forms. Host Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College will discuss the city of Pasadena, educational...

It’s getting harder and harder for employers to lock down good talent. This makes it more important now than ever to cultivate registered apprenticeship programs that create long lasting, and meaningful relationships with students who will eventually become incredible workers. Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College is joined by Kelly Mackey, the State Director of Strategic Partnerships for the State of California to dive deep into the...

What is the best way for institutions to implement AI in the classroom? Hear from Leslie Thompson, the Director of Operations, and Salvatrice Cummo, Ed.D., Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College as they dive back into artificial intelligence and break down new research on the topic. They will uncover what it means to integrate AI into the system equitably and how to address the digital divide. There are plenty of challenges when it comes to closing the...

Institutions will last long if they can find ways to adapt to students' needs, not the other way around. On both local and state levels educators can transform their services to align with student’s goals and new ideas of success. Today, our host Salvatrice Cummo, Ed.D. will help us learn more about the Pasadena City College campus by focusing on the different student services available at The Student Services Division. She’s joined by Dr. Brenda Ivelisse, the VP of Student Services at PCC,...

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...

What is the best way to prepare students to get high-paying jobs in today’s world? Today, Salvatrice Cummo, Ed.D. is joined by Assemblymember Mike Fong to discuss California's higher education committee, what it does for students in the area, and how we can help students reach their goals. Together they’ll cover the programs, bills, and policies that improve our systems that prepare students to enter and compete in today’s fast moving workforce. Assemblymember Mike Fong will share his take on...

Why don’t more students have mentors? It is up to colleges and institutions to create spaces where students feel heard and seen by their educators and mentors. Our host Salvatrice Cummo, Ed.D. is joined by Dr. Shannon LaCount, the principal product manager at Mentor Collective, to learn how they help students in higher education reach their goals through advantageous pairings and mentorship programming. We’ll discover what makes a great mentorship program and what it takes to create a...

We have a long way to go when it comes to diversifying our workforce. One of the first steps is to create a space where students can learn from and interact with professors and mentors that represent who they are and where they come from. We’re joined by Dr. Francisco Rodriguez, Chancellor of Los Angeles Community College District to discover how we can put leaders in positions of power who represent the diversity of the student body. We’ll learn about the programs, grants, and efforts being...

Can we incorporate AI into our education system in a way that’s healthy and creates more opportunities for students? When it comes to artificial intelligence, there are a handful of ways we can offer new tools for students in the classroom. Hear from Leslie Thompson, the Director of Operations, and Salvatrice Cummo, Ed.D., Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Pasadena City College as they discuss how students can use AI to its maximum capacity, while ensuring nobody is...