The Office of Workforce & Economic Development at Santa Monica College (SMC) is dedicated to working with government funding in order to consolidate, coordinate, and improve employment, training, literacy, and vocational rehabilitation programs throughout our community by developing programs for students and business industry professionals to further their education and advance their careers.
With the growing pressure from international competition and the rapid change of technology, the competitive position of the Los Angeles region and the state of California in the global marketplace is largely dependent on a highly skilled workforce. As a premier educational institution, Santa Monica College must develop a workforce that attracts new business to the region and supports the growth of existing business and emerging industries.
Workforce development aims to develop short-term training "Bridge" programs that connect job-seekers to living-wage careers. Many employment trends currently affect workforce development, including:
Technological advancements: Technology changes every 6-8 months. Community colleges need to be flexible and market responsive in order for our students to be competitive.
Global Marketplace and labor market: Our students are now competing on a global scale and, as the Baby Boomer generation ages, we are losing a substantial knowledge base.
Structural and Cultural changes in business and industry organizations: With globalization and the advent of the internet, business and industry are more focused on return on investments because the competition is global.
For more information on our grant-funded projects, please contact our office at workforce@smc.edu or 310-434-4199.