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 to chang...
Jan 02, 2024•30 min•Ep 110•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Economic ...
Dec 19, 2023•25 min•Ep 109•Transcript available on Metacast 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 innovation...
Dec 05, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep 108•Transcript available on Metacast 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 needs to...
Nov 21, 2023•17 min•Ep 107•Transcript available on Metacast 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 cover whe...
Nov 07, 2023•40 min•Ep 106•Transcript available on Metacast 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 learned a lot of invalu...
Oct 24, 2023•31 min•Ep 105•Transcript available on Metacast 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 those q...
Oct 10, 2023•26 min•Ep 104•Transcript available on Metacast 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 flexibil...
Sep 26, 2023•24 min•Ep 103•Transcript available on Metacast 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 critic...
Sep 12, 2023•39 min•Ep 102•Transcript available on Metacast What is the best way for institutions to implement AI in the classroom? Hear from Leslie Thompson, the Director of Operations, and Salvatrice Cummo, 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 technology ga...
Aug 29, 2023•24 min•Ep 101•Transcript available on Metacast 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, 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, who as a t...
Aug 15, 2023•30 min•Ep 100•Transcript available on Metacast 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, 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 students bat...
Aug 01, 2023•35 min•Ep 99•Transcript available on Metacast What is the best way to prepare students to get high-paying jobs in today’s world? Today, Salvatrice Cummo 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 what chan...
Jul 18, 2023•30 min•Ep 98•Transcript available on Metacast 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, 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 collective that ...
Jul 04, 2023•26 min•Ep 97•Transcript available on Metacast 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 tak...
Jun 20, 2023•36 min•Ep 96•Transcript available on Metacast 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, 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 being hurt in th...
Jun 06, 2023•23 min•Ep 95•Transcript available on Metacast The future of work is changing faster than we know it. The amount of job opportunities available to students is expanding, constantly. Abby Snay, the Deputy Secretary for the Future of Work at CA Labor & Workforce Development Agency joins us to share the impact of environmental factors on current roles, and how she’s uplifting and helping the California population to learn the skills they need for their future dream job. Today we’ll dive deeper into the work they’re doing to help bring employers...
May 23, 2023•27 min•Ep 94•Transcript available on Metacast What is employer engagement and why is it so important for community colleges? Today, Salvatrice Cummo and Leslie Thompson sit down to discuss the impact of employer engagement and what it takes to create a program to encourage these relationships across the public and private sectors. Building a connection between employers and colleges is integral to establishing the pipeline for talent to enter the workforce. But how do we make these connections and what are the best practices when it comes t...
May 09, 2023•21 min•Ep 93•Transcript available on Metacast When was the last time you learned something new in your career or field of study? In order to stay up-to-date with the changing work landscape we have to continue to upskill and learn new technologies in order to remain relevant. Today we’ll discover what the Economic and Workforce Development Department does within the city of LA and dive deeper into how they’re preparing for the future of work. We’re joined by Carolyn Hull, who has served as the General Manager since 2020, to break down the s...
Apr 25, 2023•26 min•Ep 92•Transcript available on Metacast 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, creating...
Apr 11, 2023•25 min•Ep 91•Transcript available on Metacast What is holding our students back from more jobs, internships, and climbing that ladder of socio-economic status? Dr. Laura Ramirez, Assistant Superintendent and Vice President of Instruction at Pasadena City College believes the answer is community. Today, Dr. Ramirez shares what the community of industry partners, administration, and staff need to do to work together to support their new talent. The days of “non-traditional” vs. “traditional” students are over. It is time to consider and celeb...
Mar 28, 2023•24 min•Ep 90•Transcript available on Metacast Too many people are forced to decide between surviving and getting an education. Especially among the underrepresented student, first generation student, and minority student populations, the barriers to education are insurmountable. How do we start building systems and solutions that ensure access to economic advancement for all? We decided to re-feature this episode with guest Joel Vargas because these questions are still being answered and are important ones to ponder and continue our search ...
Mar 14, 2023•30 min•Ep 89•Transcript available on Metacast Did you know there are free business development resources available all over? Learn further about how the Small Business Development Center works to support the Small Business Administration from Don Loewel, the Director Of The Pasadena City College SBDC. Discover how together they’ve created resources and services for small businesses in the San Gabriel Valley to launch and grow. With services ranging from ecommerce, social media, and marketing, to financial planning, organization, and IP serv...
Feb 28, 2023•13 min•Ep 88•Transcript available on Metacast Do you know the tools and strategies you can implement within your organization to help develop the future workforce? Joining us today is Larry Holt, the Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at the Los Angeles County of Economic Development Corporation. He’s here to cover some of the most pressing issues the LA area is facing in the workforce development space, and cover which systems can work together to better support and expand the opportunities for students everywhere. Engage w...
Feb 14, 2023•28 min•Ep 87•Transcript available on Metacast Do you know how to completely alter a student’s career expectations? The more we can expose students to the opportunities available to them, the more they can exceed and thrive. We’re joined today by Jack Friedman, the founder of Study Smart Tutors Inc., a service that provides college access programming to students who wouldn’t otherwise receive it. Jack creates programming for students and families that attempt to extend the runway of opportunities for students. We’ll discover where the gaps s...
Jan 31, 2023•25 min•Ep 86•Transcript available on Metacast Students shouldn’t be afraid to go after their goals. Today we’re joined by Barney Santos, the founder and managing partner at BLVD MRKT, a carefully curated food hall for the community, and the founder and CEO of Gentefy Inc., a community development organization supporting entrepreneurs by investing in people, places, and programs within Los Angeles county. Barney has spent the last 15 years building and managing new business ventures in the nonprofit, for profit, academic, and corporate secto...
Jan 17, 2023•36 min•Ep 85•Transcript available on Metacast It’s up to educators and intuitions alike to remove barriers to job placement and work-based learning, so students can thrive and focus on their futures. In case you missed it, we’re recapping last week’s Future of Work Conference presented by Pasadena City College. Tune in to get a snapshot of some of the thought-leaders who took the stage, and hear some of the insights they presented. We'll share the panel discussion that took place featuring some familiar speakers you might recognize from pre...
Jan 03, 2023•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 hand...
Dec 27, 2022•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 pa...
Dec 20, 2022•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast How might educational institutions begin to tap into new media tools to support and prepare students? Today we will discuss the importance of understanding the new forms of media being developed and how we can prepare our students to enter this new industry successfully. VP of Podcast Content & Partnerships at Libsyn, Rob Greenlee, is here to fill us in on where education and new media should be overlapping. From valuable skill sets students should learn to school career centers where they can b...
Dec 13, 2022•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
