LA-25 Port of Los Angeles High School: Welding & Skilled Trades Pathways Expansion

Pathways Improvement Scope

To address the labor market information (LMI) demands outlined in the Strong Workforce Program Regional Plan, POLAHS will utilize grant funding to enhance its success in CTE pathways across five of the eight identified priority sectors: Advanced Manufacturing, Advanced Transportation and Logistics, Energy, Construction, and Utilities, Information and Communication Technologies/Digital Media, and Business and Entrepreneurship/Global Trade.

This project involves adopting advanced certifications, increasing capacity in the Welding and Construction pathway, and updating equipment for the Photography, Video Production, and Graphic Design pathway to align with industry standards.

In addition to expanding on its existing partnership with El Camino College, POLAHS will continue to explore partnerships with other community colleges in the surrounding area. To date, POLAHS has engaged in discussions with Coast Community College, Los Angeles Harbor College, and Long Beach City College to offer additional college and career exploration opportunities.

Goals & Priorities

POLAHS will measure the following outcomes:
1) Number of students to graduate from one or more of the targeted CTE Pathways
2) Number of students who achieve one or more advanced certifications in their pathway
3) Number of students who participate in Dual-Enrollment Opportunities
4) Number of students who participate in Work-Based Learning Opportunities
5) Where possible, POLAHS will monitor the number of students who have secured employment upon graduation

POLAHS has worked to establish clear pathway and course alignment with El Camino College (ECC) Photography, Video Production, and Graphic Design classes. El Camino College staff will help facilitate POLAHS career pathway alignment with ECC certificates and degree programs, through collaboration and curriculum development. POLAHS currently has formal articulation agreements for welding, construction, and digital photography. As part of this grant, POLAHS staff will also work with El Camino College staff to establish articulation agreements for graphic design and video production.

POLAHS’ Career Counselor and College Counselor will oversee students’ matriculation process to local community colleges, beginning with on-campus financial aid and online application workshops.

Lastly, POLAHS will support students in their transition to postsecondary education through its partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of the Los Angeles Harbor (San Pedro), which hosts on-campus college and career fairs for POLAHS students and provides a “College Bound” counselor that supports students in college exploration and planning two days each week.