Cerritos College Receives Nearly $200K Grant from Chancellor’s Office

Funds Will Support CTE Teacher Preparation Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 30, 2008

Media Contact: Aya Abelon, Public Affairs; (562) 860-2451 ext. 2287

NORWALK, Calif. – July 30, 2008 – Cerritos College has been awarded a Career Technical Education Teacher Preparation Pipeline grant in the amount of $198,891 from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, benefiting its Career Technical Education Teacher Training Academy (CTE Teacher TRAC) which provides services to future CTE educators in the areas of Automotive Technology, Welding and Woodworking.

The focus of the grant is to recruit and prepare students to be teachers and to train faculty to prepare and counsel students pursuing a teaching career.  The funding will be used towards outreach; student services including counseling, development of career plans, mentorships and internships; expansion of faculty professional development; and development and continuation of courses in math and English targeted for CTE students and other areas. 

“It’s through the support of the Chancellor’s Office that this grant-funded CTE Teacher TRAC is thriving,” said Sue Parsons, director of Teacher TRAC. “The funding will enable us to enhance the program and student success.”

Created last year to address the statewide need for CTE teachers at the secondary and community college level, CTE Teacher TRAC has successfully developed six pathways for CTE teacher preparation for prospective high school and community college teachers in automotive, welding and woodworking. 

“Our program experienced great successes in its first year of development and implementation. Thanks to the grant for a second year, we will be able to continue development and refinement in the areas of greatest need for our program and students,” says Mirna Cardenas, project manager of CTE Teacher TRAC.

CTE Teacher TRAC is a grant-funded component of the Cerritos College Teacher Training Academy (Teacher TRAC) that provides services to future CTE educators in the areas of Automotive Technology, Welding and Woodworking. CTE Teacher TRAC is offering various opportunities for students to explore and prepare for the teaching profession. More information on how to be a part of CTE Teacher TRAC is available at www.teachertrac.com or at 562.860.2451 ext.2212.

Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college’s district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 200 areas of study in nine divisions. Annually, more than 1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently nears 20,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at www.cerritos.edu.

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