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LOS ANGELES — Mayor Eric Garcetti today launched L.A. College Promise Works (LACP Works), a new initiative connecting community college students to career coaching, skills training, and paid employment opportunities. This program is the product of a close partnership between the Mayor’s Office, the L.A. Community College District (LACCD), the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles, and the City’s Workforce Development System.

“COVID-19 has forced us all to make sacrifices in our jobs, homes, and lives, but our students should never have to sacrifice their education, their job prospects, or their futures,” said Mayor Garcetti. “With L.A. College Promise Works, our young people won’t have to make a choice between going to school and pursuing a career — and we will be their partners in forging a strong foundation of equity, opportunity, and success for our city, our economy, and all Angelenos.”

LACP Works will build a sustainable, equity-driven employment pipeline that connects College Promise students to high-quality jobs and career pathways in the private, public, and non-profit sectors.

Support from the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles will place a dedicated program manager on Mayor Garcetti’s team and support career coaches on all nine LACCD campuses to help students navigate campus resources, offer career advice, provide wrap-around training, and find paid internships and permanent positions.

“L.A. College Promise Works will provide students with career exploration and early work experience — two critical components we know can be transformative in a student’s long-term career path,” said LACCD Board of Trustees President Andra Hoffman.

Placements will be made in a variety of industries, including media and entertainment, tech, healthcare, real estate, transportation, green industries, and early childhood education and care. These opportunities are made possible in conjunction with the City’s Economic & Workforce Development Department, as well as Para Los Niños, El Proyecto del Barrio, Coalition for Responsible Community Development, and UAW Labor Employment and Training.

LACP Works will also open up with 500 subsidized job placements, supported by the City’s Hire L.A.’s Youth program, which was expanded by a motion led by Councilmember Curren D. Price, Jr., to reallocate $10 million from the Los Angeles Police Department’s budget to workforce development programs.

“L.A. College Promise Works is a continuation of our commitment to student success and an expansion of opportunity,” said LACCD Chancellor Francisco C. Rodriguez. “In these unprecedented times, the strength of our partnership with Mayor Garcetti and his team extends the Promise in 2020 to meet the goals and dreams of our students.”

Additional paid employment opportunities will be in direct partnership with private sector and non-profit partners. This includes companies such as BMG, one of the world’s largest music companies, and non-profits like Project Destined, which provides stipend based real-estate training and experience.

“L.A. College Promise Works is an outstanding investment into the community for advancing higher education, access, and youth empowerment,” said Tim Reid, BMG Senior Vice President, Repertoire & Marketing. “BMG is proud to be their music industry partner, and we are committed to providing the mentorship and experience to help build an invaluable foundation for future leaders and their careers. We encourage all to learn more and get involved.”

LACP Works builds on the success of L.A. College Promise, an effort first announced in 2016 by Mayor Garcetti and LACCD to provide all L.A. Unified School District (LAUSD) graduates with free tuition at L.A.’s community colleges. This landmark program provides students with additional academic support services, free laptops, and free passes on the City’s DASH buses.

College Promise is one of the largest citywide free community college programs in the nation, having enrolled about 20,000 students to date, which includes a 62% increase in full-time enrollment of LAUSD graduates at LACCD. The city’s effort became one of the models for the California College Promise Program, a statewide initiative to make higher education more accessible and affordable.

Students interested in learning more about L.A. College Promise Works can visit LACollegePromise.org/LACPWorks. Employers interested in becoming a partner of the program can contact Andres Cuervo, L.A. College Promise Works manager, at Andres.Cuervo@lacity.org.

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