the economic landscape of los angeles & implications for ......implications for linked learning...

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The Economic Landscape of Los Angeles & Implications for Linked Learning

United Way of Greater Los Angeles

October 2014

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This report was made possible through the generosity of the James Irvine Foundation. The United Way of Greater Los Angeles would also like to thank the Los Angeles Unified School District and

The Center for Powerful Public Schools. Conversations with staff from ACCO Engineered Systems, the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, International Trade

Education Programs, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, Neutrogena, and the Energy Resource Center were immensely helpful and directly contributed to the report.

© 2014 United Way of Greater Los Angeles 1150 South Olive Street, Suite T500, Los Angeles, CA 90015

(213) 808-6220 • www.unitedwayla.org

United Way of Greater Los Angeles is committed to creating pathways out of poverty so that everyone who lives in our communities can have a better quality of life. We are focused on providing long-term solutions in three interconnected areas that attack the root causes of poverty:

Helping people have access to permanent housing with supportive services Helping students graduate from high school prepared for college and the workplace Helping people become financially stable

http://www.unitedwayla.org/

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Introduction The mission of United Way of Greater Los Angeles is to create pathways out of poverty in our communities; our education strategy involves policy and advocacy for our highest need students as well as programmatic work to foster scalable, sustainable solutions for students most at-risk of dropping out before completing high school. Linked Learning presents a viable and exciting opportunity to reinvent our high schools to better serve, support, engage, challenge and prepare all students—especially those who have been historically under-served. Linked Learning is an approach to high school that combines college-preparatory and career technical coursework with interdisciplinary, project-based learning, the kind of learning that is student-centered, collaborative and real-world. This approach further engages students than traditional models—and does not track students from an early age into either a career or a college track as tracking has historically been discriminatory in its practice. (In fact, the vocational education of 100 years ago was intended for children of immigrants and the working class; Manual Arts High School, for example, was founded on that premise.) Linked Learning’s other two main components, work-based learning and personalized student supports, enrich and deepen the academic experience but also require the participation of community-based organizations, non-profits, intermediaries, and employers to fully bring to life. Linked Learning brings together the collective wisdom of an academic community which has been moving for the last few decades in the direction of smaller academies, learning communities, and pilot schools. Many of those smaller schools have now become Linked Learning pathways, which are organized around a central career theme and which offer students a comprehensive and coherent high school experience—and, ultimately, a pathway to a career cluster, should they choose to pursue it, while also learning twenty-first century skills applicable to any career. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is committed to Linked Learning as its primary reform effort for secondary schools, agreeing to pilot the approach as part of the California Linked Learning District Initiative. The district currently has 37 Linked Learning pathways at 24 high-poverty LAUSD high schools. While some of the more established, successful pathways have become Linked Learning certified, meeting an array of stringent criteria, all of the pathways require additional support to meet the promise of Linked Learning’s work-based learning pillar: real-life, real-world engagement with careers, employers, and industry sectors. The United Way of Greater Los Angeles (UWGLA) serves as the anchor organization for Linked Learning in the Los Angeles region, housing the Los Angeles Coalition for Linked Learning (LACLL) and working closely with LAUSD and area business, community and post-secondary leaders. UWGLA, along with The Center for Powerful Public Schools, is helping the district create infrastructure to implement Linked Learning with fidelity. In this capacity, UWGLA will work to strengthen the LACLL and establish sustainable support for work-based learning. This economic discussion is intended to help identify priority industry sectors that reflect significant regional and national workforce needs and to provide targeted guidance in supporting those pathway schools. The UWGLA wants Linked Learning schools to be true vehicles that propel lower-income students and their families into the middle class and is looking for the greater Los Angeles community to coalesce around and bolster these efforts.

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This report presents information and data on the major industries in Los Angeles County, detailing which industries are projected to grow substantially and create demand for workers with certain kinds of training and education. National job growth data, projected out into 2022, provide a wider perspective as students who choose college or the military as postsecondary options may be more likely to move to other regions of the country. Data on the connections between education and income attainment show how students who graduate from Linked Learning pathways, being better prepared for all types of post-secondary education, will likely earn more. In its largest, most detail-oriented section, this report examines the current status of Linked Learning in the district by type of pathway; until now, pathways have largely been created out of teacher interest and ability as well as previously constructed magnet schools, pilot schools, and small learning communities—with mixed results in terms of pathways being aligned with workforce needs. We present a discussion of current pathways, job projection data, and recommendations for future pathway creation—demanding a more strategic plan from LAUSD and equipping school staff with the data they need to make informed decisions and proposals. The district must be more intentional in the acceptance and shaping of schools for the 2015-16 school year and beyond. Lastly, this report discusses the greater implications of pathway career theme choice as intermediaries and school staff work to find, secure and program work-based learning experiences for Linked Learning students. Each industry has separate laws governing community responsibility, privacy and safety—and industry-specific rules (some unwritten) about whether it is appropriate to have high school students present in the workplace. Creative thinking and coalition building are essential for navigating industry landscapes—as well as some coalescing around shared community values for the success of all of our students. The UWGLA is situated well as a convener and will continue to work with the wider community to think through this issue, especially as we support the work-based learning coordinators serving the pathways. We envision this report being useful to:

Schools transforming under LAUSD’s Linked Learning initiative as they redesign programs of study and select career themes with maximum benefit to their students.

Community partners and local businesses as they tailor their services, partnerships and advocacy efforts to increase opportunities for students around career awareness, exploration and preparation.

Community organizations already engaged in Linked Learning advocacy and awareness as they ensure Linked Learning pathway implementation maximizes industry relevance and the economic growth of our citizens and neighborhoods.

Linked Learning has the power to transform secondary education, create equitable access to college and career readiness for all students, provide opportunity for students to imagine a broader future for themselves and to be prepared for entry-level positions in each industry. But Linked Learning cannot exist in a vacuum at each separate school or pathway; its successful implementation demands community and industry involvement and collaboration. The UWGLA, as the anchor organization supporting Linked Learning, works to ensure that community and industry involvement; this report is intended as a tool to be used broadly in that effort.

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Executive Summary This economic discussion is intended to help identify industry sectors that reflect significant regional and national workforce needs and to provide target guidance to support Linked Learning pathway schools. The United Way of Greater Los Angeles (UWGLA) is invested in the establishment of Linked Learning schools as vehicles that can propel lower-income students and their families into the middle class. The stronger the connection between economic growth projections and Linked Learning pathway sectors, the better students in Los Angeles Unified will be prepared to succeed in career and college. We urge the greater Los Angeles community to coalesce around and bolster these efforts.

Key Recommendations: 1. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) must prioritize the creation of Information and Communication Technologies pathways to meet the regional, state and national demand for workers in this sector. 2. We urge the thoughtful creation of Building and Construction Trades pathways—again to meet heavy demand. LAUSD must ensure that these pathways offer students rigorous, integrated experiences which prepare them for both college and career and that they do not reflect lower expectations of lower-income teenagers. We also urge the County Federation of Labor to fully support these pathways in terms of helping to ensure their students will be qualified and encouraged to apply for apprenticeships—indeed cultivating a pipeline of well qualified applicants. 3. We encourage the continued growth of Health Science and Medical Technology pathways as this sector will offer sustained growth over the next decade, and we want to ensure that regional workforce needs are met. 4. Regional advanced manufacturing needs are significant, but we do not encourage the creation of Manufacturing and Product Development pathways. Rather, we would like to see more pathways prepare their students to meet these workforce needs via broader curricula; for example, Arts, Media and Entertainment and Engineering and Architecture could include coursework in 3D modeling, AutoCAD, drafting, computer applications, and automation—coursework that would qualify students for entry-level positions after graduation. 5. The growth of Arts, Media and Entertainment Linked Learning pathways must be curbed. This is both because of below-average job growth projections for the sector as a whole and because of an overrepresentation of pathways in this sector (nearly one-third of all pathways). This overrepresentation places an undue burden on the ability of work-based learning coordinators—especially those in the district, whose vendors do not include film studios, art museums, theaters, etc.—to provide the full continuum of work-based learning opportunities to students and to fulfill school-based needs. Broader curricula at these pathways (see suggestion 4) could also engender more possibilities for both school/employer partnerships and workforce readiness. The UWGLA focuses on better supporting these pathways through sustained and creative outreach to the industry, but it will take time to change mindsets and create bridges.

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6. In terms of the sheer numbers of future available jobs, three more sectors will also be sustainable pathways moving forward: Education, Child Development and Family Services; Finance and Business; and Marketing, Service and Sales. 7. During the 2014-15 school year, the following sectors have 7 dedicated work-based learning coordinators: Energy, Environment and Utilities (4 pathways); Finance and Business (5 pathways); and Health Sciences and Medical Technology (11 pathways). The more work-based learning opportunities can be thought through in a sector-specific way, the better and stronger the system and engagement for that sector will be. 2 more work-based learning coordinators are dedicated to the Arts, Media and Entertainment sector (10 pathways) which, along with the UWGLA’s concerted outreach and bridge-building efforts, should help think through how those 10 pathways can more effectively prepare students for existing entry-level industry needs and apprenticeships; regardless of the economic viability of the sector, the 10 pathways must be properly supported moving forward.

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The Potential Impact of Linked Learning

on our Regional Economy

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The mission of the United Way of Greater Los Angeles (UWGLA) is to create pathways out of poverty for individuals and families in Los Angeles County; investing in and promoting strategies that increase high school graduation rates is one of our three areas of programmatic work (along with permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless population and financial stability). UWGLA is the anchor organization for Linked Learning in Los Angeles because Linked Learning is one of the most promising ways to engage students, keep them in school until graduation, and prepare them for career and college after high school, ultimately strengthening our communities.

Impact of Educational Attainment on Income & Employment While the massive Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) stretches across a diverse regional swath from Simi Valley to San Pedro and serves almost 650,000 students, it is not as diverse in the income of its families. Students receiving free or reduced lunch comprise 76.6% of the district as a whole (compared with 67.9% of the county and 59.4% of the state). As shown in Table 1, 16 of the 24 Linked Learning high schools serve even needier populations, with the free and reduced lunch population averaging 79% across all Linked Learning schools:1 Table 1

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Before Linked Learning, students were beginning to have some choices outside of the comprehensive high school model (magnets, small learning communities, pilot schools), but those options were not reaching enough students, nor were they always offering as rich a model for high school education. As an example, students in the impoverished Pico-Union and Belmont neighborhoods just north of downtown previously had little option but to attend Belmont High School—large, overcrowded, and with a graduation rate of just 43.3% in 2010. Linked Learning pathways located in these neighborhoods such as Contreras’ LA School of Global Studies have significantly higher graduation rates (82.4% in 2013) than even the district average (67.9%).2 The attainment of a high school diploma improves students’ postsecondary employment opportunities. As shown in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data in Table 2 below, adults with less education than a high school diploma fared much worse during the Great Recession, suffering a 4.1% higher rate of unemployment than adults with a diploma in 2012. As such, a student who graduates from LA School of Global Studies statistically has much better opportunity for employment and greater income attainment over his/her lifetime simply by earning a high school diploma. With every step in post-secondary education, he/she can improve those numbers significantly. What is more, many students graduate from LA School of Global Studies having taken at least one community college course while enrolled as high school students, so they graduate high school with some postsecondary credits—better positioning themselves for entry-level jobs and for jobs that require some college. Often exposing students to college-level courses, Linked Learning provides students with the college and career readiness they need—essentially tools for escaping poverty. Table 2

In 2022, 68.5% of all jobs in this country will require at least a high school diploma3 (Table 3), a rate higher than the district’s last published graduation rate (67.9% in 2013), which means that in eight

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years our county’s tens of thousands of dropouts from the past decade will likely face exacerbated unemployment:

Table 3 Projected Entry-level Education Requirements for 2022 Job Openings

Clearly the stakes are high for our Linked Learning students in Los Angeles; they come from families deeply acquainted with poverty and low educational attainment and will likely see better opportunities for themselves in every work-based learning experience, from guided college tours to job shadowing and internships.

The Major Industries of Los Angeles County As of 2010, there were 3.66 million jobs in Los Angeles County.4 Table 4 shows the breakdown by industry sector in 2010, with 12 sectors comprising 86.7% of the overall jobs. However, it is also important to note that in the breakdown some sectors of employment, like health care and manufacturing, offer straightforward data that mirrors how most think of industry sectors; others, like professional and technical services, are categories of jobs that are actually cross-sector in nature.

Table 4

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In Table 5, the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation projects 10 “industries” (again, some are job classifications) as comprising the top number of jobs in 2020:5 Table 5

Top 10 2020-Projected LA County Industries by Employment

Health Care & Social Assistance 513,370 Local Government 496,400 Accommodation & Food Services 389,780 Administrative, Support, Waste Management 302,200

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 284,850 Finance & Insurance 168,540 Motion Picture & Sound Recording 147,190 Transportation & Warehousing 134,760 Educational Services 133,040

Wholesalers: Nondurable Goods 94,720 Although Los Angeles is known for its film and television industry, this does not necessarily mean that the industry is a strong force in job creation; the sector is still recovering from substantial job losses during the recession. The hospitality industry, which is significant in Los Angeles due to the high number of tourists who visit the area each year, will continue to drive job growth. Health care will be the single most important job-producing industry. Projecting which industries will offer the most jobs in Los Angeles a decade from now does not give the fullest picture. It is deeply troubling that both nationally and regionally, most significant job growth is projected within the lowest-skilled, lowest-paying occupations within each industry. Table 6 shows the occupations projected to grow fastest in the U.S. by 2022, arranged according to the California Department of Education’s Career Technical Education sectors: the growth in low-wage, largely unskilled occupations is striking.6

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Table 6 Fastest Growing Occupations in U.S. by 2022, Within CA CTE Sectors

# of +jobs 2012 Median Wage

3 Building Trades & Construction:

Construction Laborers 259,800 29,990

Carpenters 218,200 39,940

4 Education, Child Development & Family Services

Childcare Workers 184,100 19,510

8 Finance & Business

Bookkeeping, Accounting & Auditing Clerks 204,600 35,170

9 Health Science & Medical Technology:

Personal Care Aides 580,800 19,910

Registered Nurses 526,800 65,470

Home Health Aides 424,200 20,820

Nursing Assistants 312,200 24,420

Medical Secretaries 189,200 31,350

10 Hospitality, Tourism & Recreation:

Food Preparation & Serving Workers 421,900 18,260

Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 183,400 19,570

13 Marketing, Sales & Service:

Retail Salespersons 434,700 21,110

Customer Service Representatives 298,700 30,580

15 Transportation:

Laborers & Freight, Stock, & Material Movers, Hand 241,900 23,890

Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 192,600 38,200

Miscellaneous, Sector-Crossing Roles:

Secretaries & Administrative Assistants (except legal, medical & exec.) 307,800 32,410

Janitors & Cleaners (except maids & housekeeping) 280,000 22,320

General & Operations Managers 244,100 95,440

Office Clerks, General 184,100 27,470

Data Released 1/8/2014 by Bureau of Labor Statistics The occupations of highest projected growth within Los Angeles County by 2020 are also particularly striking when categorized by required educational attainment for entry-level positions. Table 7 shows that while there are high numbers correlated with less education as expected,

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occupations requiring some postsecondary coursework are low-growth, with numbers increasing towards college degrees.7

Table 7 LA County's Largest Growing Jobs by Entry Level Education, 2020

Doctoral or Professional Degree Lawyers 8,320 jobs

Clinical, Counseling and School Psychologists 3,780 jobs

Pharmacists 2,800 jobs

Postsecondary Art, Drama and Music Teachers 1,990 jobs

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 1,920 jobs

Master's Degree Educational, Guidance, School and Vocational Counselors 3,480 jobs

Elementary and Secondary Education Administrators 2,050 jobs

Instructional Coordinators 1,890 jobs

Healthcare Social Workers 1,610 jobs

Marriage and Family Therapists 1,490 jobs

Bachelor's Degree Accountants and Auditors 15,230 jobs

Producers and Directors 13,730 jobs

Elementary School Teachers, except Special Education 10,710 jobs

Secondary School Teachers, except Special & Technical Ed 9,920 jobs

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists 9,130 jobs

Associate's Degree Registered Nurses 24,000 jobs

General and Operations Managers 15,940 jobs

Preschool Teachers, except Special Education 5,330 jobs

Paralegals and Legal Assistants 2,470 jobs

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians 2,290 jobs

Postsecondary Certificate Nursing Aides, Orderlies and Attendants 13,050 jobs

Licensed Practical and Vocational Nurses 10,340 jobs

Dental Assistants 3,630 jobs

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists 3,380 jobs

Firefighters 2,710 jobs

Some Postsecondary Coursework Computer Support Specialists 6,810 jobs

Residential Advisors 520 jobs

Transportation Inspectors 280 jobs

Private Detectives and Investigators 260 jobs

High School Diploma General Office Clerks 31,110 jobs

Customer Service Representatives 24,420 jobs

First-Line Supervisors of Office & Admin Support Workers 21,200 jobs

Security Guards 18,220 jobs

Wholesale & Manufacturing Sales Reps, except Tech & Sci 18,020 jobs

Less Than High School Retail Salespersons 58,320 jobs

Cashiers 54,840 jobs

Personal Care Aides 50,660 jobs

Waiters and Waitresses 43,850 jobs

Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers 38,080 jobs

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Increasingly, high school diplomas are required for jobs that previously may not have required them. Students who graduate high school will be much better equipped for the workforce than those who do not graduate. Students who graduate from Linked Learning schools will have not only a graduation advantage, but a competitive advantage as they will be more likely to have work experience, to have mastered work readiness skills like resume writing and interviewing, and to have both hard and soft skills sought after by employers. Linked Learning graduates, while they may choose not to pursue the same field of their high school pathway, learn plenty of applicable skills to any 21st century job: collaboration and communication, especially. Linked Learning students graduate from high school with options. They may go into the workforce immediately, choosing a field different from that of their pathway—having been generally prepared for all work. Other graduates may begin work immediately, well prepared for an entry-level position in their pathway field, and use that work as a springboard into both that field and postsecondary study. Linked Learning students have myriad postsecondary options: they can attend a four-year college, a community college, or a technical certification program; many will graduate high school having already earned postsecondary credit, while some may even hold certifications. They may choose an apprenticeship program, which offers a blend of work and study, and be particularly well qualified via their rigorous high school program. Still others may begin work immediately, postponing their postsecondary choices, but having been well prepared, choose higher education at a later date. Los Angeles Unified students will be best served economically by a secondary education that both prepares them for college and readies them for a career in an industry with significant projected job growth over the next decade. Ultimately, serving these students well should be in alignment with serving the region’s projected workforce needs.

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Discussion of Occupational

Growth Projections by Pathway Type

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Introduction and Methodology:

The following discussion is meant to guide both future pathway creation and curricula; it may also be used in other ways to serve students, from guiding articulation conversations with local colleges to exploring more varied ideas of work-based learning. This discussion is organized by the 15 industry sectors identified by the state of California and adopted by the California Department of Education and explores the extent to which each offers career growth and opportunity for its students regionally and nationally. Linked Learning pathway types align with the 15 industry sectors and are based on Career Technical Education (CTE) designations; they do not cover every possible occupation, and in some ways they do not coordinate well with traditional career groupings, educational disciplines, or industry sectors. Also, most LAUSD pathways do not adhere purely to just one type: their fields of study and coursework often overlap with another—if not a third—pathway type. Thus, most LAUSD pathways appear in more than one discussion section below; when possible, their coursework is explained and connected. Readers searching for “STEM Schools” will find no such distinction; science and math are covered well by the Linked Learning pathways’ adherence to offering coursework in line with California’s A-G college readiness requirements. Technology and engineering are both an integral part of several pathway types, from those that study environmental sciences to those that prepare students in digital media. Strong Linked Learning programs integrate STEM throughout their curricula. The CTE designations complicate job projection analysis, as do the somewhat different systems of occupational category between the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While it is impossible to synergize federal and state occupational data by industry cluster via CTE sector designations, it is possible to assign individual occupations to different CTE designations/pathway types as a way to show varied opportunities for students by education level, median salary, and growth projections. Some pathway types are further illustrated with sample career ladders. Worthy of note is that industries reflective of our region’s more global economy, like global trade logistics, are not reflected in the more traditional-career oriented job projection data or in the CTE sector designations, which might deter pathways from exposing students to careers in this rich and growing field for Los Angeles. Goods movement and warehousing are perhaps not that interesting to high school students, but it is possible now to earn an undergraduate degree in supply chain management at 40 institutions. According to a 2013 report from the National Center for Supply Chain Technology Education, the 625 “employers surveyed project an increase of 30%, or an additional 61,000 jobs in 24 months”8 for the relatively new career of supply chain technician, which requires workers to be highly trained to operate robotics and conveyor systems, skills that may be more traditionally categorized in engineering or manufacturing. 2022 job growth projections from the BLS are included on the national level, with both number of new jobs projected, via replacement and growth, and the overall percentage of growth for the ten-year period from 2012-2022. Los Angeles County job growth projections from the EDD are included for the ten-year period ending in 2020.

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Readers will note that while some occupations show above average growth (15% and above), their actual numbers are quite small—and vice versa: some show average (8-14%) or below average (less than 7%) growth but actually show very large numbers. Above average growth is noted in green, as are particularly large numbers. Lastly, local opportunities for apprenticeship programs are noted when germane with an asterisk next to the “apprenticeship” requirement on the national charts. (These are most commonly noted for Building Trades & Construction.)

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1. Agriculture and Natural Resources:

a. Agricultural Business b. Agricultural Mechanics c. Agriscience d. Animal Science e. Forestry and Natural Resources f. Ornamental Horticulture g. Plant and Soil Science LAUSD has three agriculture and natural resource pathways: Carson’s Environmental Science, Engineering and Technology Small Learning Community; Jack London’s Ornamental Horticulture; and Westchester’s Environmental and Natural Sciences. Westchester, a long-standing magnet, has extensive A-G science offerings, including Plant and Soil Science, and the students and teachers have built an outdoor hydroponics laboratory. Jack London teachers and students have transformed an ugly parking lot space into a thriving garden with fruit trees and seasonal vegetables. Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary

(U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth (U.S.)

Agricultural & Food Scientists

Bachelor’s 58,610 3,600 9%

Agricultural & Food Service Technicians

Associate’s 34,070 800 3%

Agricultural Workers On-the-job Training 18,910 -25,000 -3%

Biochemists & Biophysicists Doctorate 81,480 5,400 19%

Biological Technicians Bachelor’s 39,750 8,000 10%

Cartographers & Photogrammetrists

Bachelor’s 57,440 2,400 20%

Conservation Scientists & Foresters

Bachelor’s 59,060 900 3%

Farmers, Ranchers & Other Agricultural Managers

High School 69,300 -179,900 -19%

Firefighters Certificate & Training 45,250 20,300 7%

Fishers & Related Fishing Workers

On-the-job Training 33,430 -1,600 -5%

Forest & Conservation Technicians

Associate’s 33,920 -1,200 -4%

Forest & Conservation Workers

On-the-job Training 24,340 500 4%

Geographers Bachelor’s 74,760 500 29%

Grounds Maintenance Workers

On-the-job Training 23,970 154,200 13%

Landscape Architects Bachelor’s 64,180 2,900 14%

Logging Workers On-the-job Training 33,630 -3,800 -9%

Microbiologists Bachelor’s 66,260 1,400 7%

Natural Sciences Managers Bachelor’s 115,730 2,900 6%

Pest Control Workers On-the-job Training 30,060 12,800 20%

Slaughterer, Meat Packers, Cutters & Trimmers


Urban & Regional Planners Master’s 65,230 4,000 10%

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By sheer number of jobs, the strongest area of growth in this sector will be of grounds maintenance workers, followed by firefighters. Agriculture in general will suffer tough declines and low growth. Pathways would do well to prepare students for careers that demand serious science knowledge and skills by way of ensuring their agricultural curricula are heavy in the natural sciences. In LA County, job growth projections for 2020 include similar data: Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth Biochemists & Biophysicists 180 26.5%

Biological Technicians 350 16.7%

Cartographers & Photogrammetrists 40 30.8%

Firefighters 610 8%

Geological & Petroleum Technicians 230 18.9%

Geoscientists 150 22.4%

Grounds Maintenance, Landscaping & Groundskeeping Workers

9,480 18.2%

Microbiologists 60 14.3%

Natural Sciences Managers 190 17.6%

Pest Control Workers 550 25.6%

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2. Arts, Media and Entertainment:

a. Design, Visual, and Media Arts b. Performing Arts c. Production and Managerial Arts d. Game Design and Integration As this artful sector so engages students, this is the most popular LAUSD pathway, with ten current pathways. Pathways include: 1. Contreras’ LA School of Global Studies 2. Dorsey’s School of Digital Filmmaking and Theatre Arts 3. Fremont’s School for Global and Media Arts 4. Hawkins’ Critical Design and Gaming School 5. Hilda Solis’ Digital Media Academy 6. Hollywood’s New Media Academy 7. RFK’s LA High School of the Arts 8. RFK’s School for Visual Arts and Humanities 9. Sotomayor’s School of History and Dramatic Arts 10. Torres’ East LA Performing Arts Academy Projected job growth is most impressive for graphic designers and public relations specialists. Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary (U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth

(U.S.)

Actors On-the-job Training 42,140 3,300 4%

Announcers Bachelor’s 27,750 800 2%

Art Directors Bachelor’s 80,880 2,200 3%

Audio & Video Equipment Technicians

Certificate 41,850 9,300 14%

Broadcast News Analysts Bachelor’s 55,380 -100 -2%

Broadcast Technicians Associate’s 37,880 1,200 3%

Camera Operators Bachelor’s 40,300 1,200 6%

Choreographers On-the-job Training 38,130 2,500 24%

Craft and Fine Artists High School 44,380 1,300 3%

Curators Master’s 49,580 1,400 13%

Dancers On-the-job Training 29,450 900 6%

Desktop Publishers Associate’s 37,040 -900 -5%

Drafters Associate’s 49,630 2,200 1%

Editors Bachelor’s 53,880 -2,800 -2%

Film & Video Editors Bachelor’s 51,300 200 1%

Graphic Designers Bachelor’s 44,150 17,400 7%

Industrial Designers Bachelor’s 59,610 1,700 4%

Multimedia Artists & Animators

Bachelor’s 61,370 4,300 6%

Museum Technicians & Conservators

Master’s 38,220 800 7%

Music Directors & Composers

Bachelor’s 47,350 3,500 5%

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Musicians & Singers High School 48,880 8,700 5%

Photographers On-the-job Training 28,490 5,900 4%

Printing Workers On-the-job Training 34,100 -14,500 -5%

Producers & Directors Bachelor’s 71,350 2,900 3%

Public Relations Specialists Bachelor’s 54,170 27,400 12%

Reporters & Correspondents

Bachelor’s 35,870 -7,100 -14%

Sound Engineering Technicians

Certificate 46,310 100 1%

Writers & Authors Bachelor’s 55,940 3,800 3%

According to the LAEDC, the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation sector (which includes a broad range of business like amusement parks and casinos) is expected to add only about 5,000 jobs to the LA County economy by 2020. While Los Angeles is clearly the country’s entertainment capital, the more creative occupations in this sector do not even appear on the LAEDC’s 2009 list of the top 50 occupations (by number).9 Only 404,000 of county jobs in 2012 were directly identified as “creative industry jobs” by the 2013 OTIS Report.10 In other words, while there is no doubt of this pathway type’s ability to attract and engage students, LAUSD must curtail its growth if it is to prepare students for careers in industries where there will be need—and jobs. However, it is important to note that other growth sectors, like building trades, cross over nicely with the film and television industry; for example, if a student becomes an electrician or a carpenter, she may find a job in film or television. Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth Art Directors 1,070 15.3%

Audio & Video Equipment Technicians 490 12.1%

Camera Operators, TV & Film 260 10.4%

Commercial & Industrial Designers 350 20.7%

Curators 130 48.1%

Desktop Publishers -80 -22.9%

Film & Video Editors 1,360 18.8%

Fine Artists, including Painters & Sculptors 1,090 16.1%

Graphic Designers 1,840 14%

Makeup Artists, Theatrical & Performance 90 16.1%

Multimedia Artists & Animators 750 6.3%

Museum Technicians & Conservators 110 27.5%

Postsecondary Art, Drama & Music Teachers

1,140 21.5%

Prepress Technicians & Workers -440 -25.1%

Public Relations Specialists 1,410 19%

Set & Exhibit Designers 270 16.3%

Sound Engineering Technicians 540 21.1%

While both the national and regional data do not support a picture of robust job growth in the arts professions, art does remain a powerful tool for student engagement, and an arts education has indirect, crossover value for a broader range of work experience. Employers, from software companies to engineered systems manufacturers, value original, resourceful thinking and imaginative problem-solving. Companies like Boeing continue to fund arts initiatives because they believe strongly in a creative and innovative workforce. A rigorous arts education emphasizes verbal and non-verbal communication, critical thinking skills like analysis and interpretation, and civic-mindedness. Pathways emphasizing STEAM may be the very best of practical application.

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3. Building and Construction Trades: a. Cabinetry, Millwork, and Woodworking b. Engineering and Heavy Construction c. Mechanical Systems Installation and Repair d. Residential and Commercial Construction While we currently have no LAUSD pathways in this sector, this is a sector of growth for both the U.S. and LA County over the next decade because it mirrors growth in other sectors. For example, as we build hospitals to meet increased health care needs, we need a trained workforce in many occupations in this industry. Also, note on the chart the number of apprenticeship programs available locally. Federal occupational codes place solar photovoltaic installers in this sector; Lincoln’s Academy of Environmental and Social Policy offers this kind of training to its students. Note the high percentage of U.S. job growth in this occupation but the relative low actual job numbers. Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary (U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth

(U.S.)

Carpenters Apprenticeship* 39,940 218,200 24%

Cement Masons & Terrazzo Workers

Apprenticeship* 35,830 41,700 29%

Construction & Building Inspectors

High School 53,450 12,500 12%

Construction Equipment Operators

Apprenticeship 40,980 78,200 19%

Construction Laborers & Helpers

160 Hours of Basic Training

29,160 325,200 25%

Construction Managers Bachelor’s 82,790 78,200 16%

Drywall & Ceiling Tile Installers

On-the-job Training/ Apprenticeship*

37,920 17,900 16%

Electricians Apprenticeship* 49,840 114,700 20%

Elevator Installers & Repairers


Glaziers Apprenticeship* 37,610 8,000 17%

Hazardous Materials Removal Workers


Insulation Workers On-the-job Training 35,940 19,600 38%

Masons (Brick, Block & Stone)

Apprenticeship 44,950 29,300 34%

Painters On-the-job Training/ Apprenticeship*

35,190 62,600 20%

Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters


Roofers On-the-job-Training/ Apprenticeship*

35,290 15,200 11%

Sheet Metal Workers Apprenticeship* 43,290 22,000 15%

Solar Photovoltaic Installers On-the-job Training 37,900 1,200 24%

Structural Iron & Steel Workers


Surveying & Mapping Technicians


Surveyors Bachelor’s or Apprenticeship*

56,230 4,400 10%

24

Tile & Marble Setters On-the-job Training/ Apprenticeship*

37,040 5,900 15%

Urban & Regional Planners Master’s 65,230 4,000 10%

According to the LAEDC, construction is expected to grow “robustly” in LA County by 2020 “as major infrastructure projects are brought on line and excess housing inventory is soaked up,” producing “an overall annual average growth of 2.3 percent”11; even more promising is their recent forecast for 2014 of 6% growth in employment.12 Another source for LA County numbers, the California EDD, shows the sector’s job growth as 24% (25,100 jobs) by 2020. Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth Carpenters 2,430 15.6%

Cement Masons & Concrete Finishers 600 24.8%

Construction & Building Inspectors 310 14.7%

Construction Managers 1,380 12.7%

Drywall & Ceiling Tile Installers 990 26.8%

Fence Erectors 200 18.2%

Glaziers 230 34.3%

Helpers, Brickmasons & Tile Setters 410 50%

Helpers, Carpenters 260 48.1%

Helpers, Electricians 160 12.3%

Helpers, Painters, Paperhangers & Plasterers

130 20.3%

Masons (Brick, Block & Stone) 270 28.7%

Paving, Surfacing & Tamping Equipment Operators

70 17.5%

Plasterers & Stucco Masons 170 12.4%

Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters 1,050 12.8%

Reinforcing Iron & Rebar Workers 80 30.8%

Structural Iron & Steel Workers 140 12.4%

Tile & Marble Setters 560 24.9%

Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Brazers 700 12.1%

While the building trades may not always be seen as exciting fields to enter, they remain excellent opportunities for ascension to the middle class, and they remain vital to our local and national economies as construction cannot be outsourced. As energy efficiency becomes more and more prized, systems have to be designed, built and installed. Even older buildings and systems require repair and replacement as metal fatigues and materials disintegrate or fail. Trade schools remain an important part of this sector, but many trades are learn-on-the-job endeavors, with apprenticeships and mentoring. Apprenticeships must be applied for through local unions, with various requirements met. Some apprenticeships require advanced math courses, some a minimum age of 21. The building trades may especially appeal to students who like to see a tangible work product. Soft skills valued in the building trades include thinking critically, applying solutions creatively, collaborating, and communicating assertively and clearly. Some may see a pathway in the building trades as too close to the old, often discriminatory vocational education model, into which students who were not seen as capable of higher education attainment were shuttled. We do not see it in this narrow way. Rather, we see the possibility of a

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pathway that combines the building trades, structural engineering and architecture as a preparation for a broad range of college and career possibilities. We see a pathway where students study both the chemistry of concrete and its direct applications, a pathway where students think about ways to be creative within a set of laws and building codes, a pathway where students learn to communicate various options to a customer, advocating strongly for the most efficacious solution.

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4. Education, Child Development, and Family Services: a. Child Development b. Consumer Services c. Education d. Family and Human Services There are currently two LAUSD pathways; one is Hollywood’s Teaching Career Academy, and the second is Hawkins’ Community Health Advocates School, where students study child development for two years. Teaching Career Academy includes an optional program in child development in which ten students earned their certification in 2014 to become preschool teaching assistants; 30 other 10th-12th graders were enrolled in the sequence of five specialized courses during the 2013-14 school year. This is an excellent pathway type for long-term career growth and development. By sheer numbers, teaching and related occupations offer students a wide range of choices. We encourage the growth of this sector in LAUSD. Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary (U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth

(U.S.)

Adult Literacy & High School Equivalency Diploma Teachers

Bachelor’s 48,590 6,700 9%

Career & Technical Education Teachers

Bachelor’s 51,910 21,400 9%

Childcare Workers On-the-job Training 19,510 184,100 14%

Elementary Teachers Bachelor’s 53,090 188,400 12%

High School Teachers Bachelor’s 55,050 52,900 6%

Instructional Coordinators Master’s 60,050 18,500 13%

Librarians Master’s 55,370 11,000 7%

Library Technicians & Assistants

Associate’s 26,800 25,200 12%

Middle School Teachers Bachelor’s 53,430 76,000 12%

Marriage & Family Therapists

Master’s 46,670 11,600 31%

Postsecondary Education Administrators

Master’s 86,490 23,500 15%

Postsecondary Teachers Master’s 68,970 236,400 19%

Preschool & Childcare Center Directors

Bachelor’s 43,950 10,900 17%

Preschool Teachers Associate’s 27,130 76,400 17%

Principals Master’s 87,760 13,100 6%

Recreational Therapists Bachelor’s 42,280 2,700 13%

Rehabilitation Counselors Master’s 33,880 23,400 20%

School & Career Counselors Master’s 53,610 31,200 12%

Social & Community Service Managers

Bachelor’s 59,970 27,700 21%

Social & Human Service Assistants


Social Workers Bachelor’s 44,200 114,100 19%

Special Education Teachers Bachelor’s 55,060 26,600 6%

Substance Abuse & Behavioral Disorder Counselors


27

Teacher Assistants Postsecondary Classes 23,640 105,000 9%

Training & Development Managers

Bachelor’s 95,400 3,200 11%

Training & Development Specialists

Bachelor’s 55,930 35,400 15%

LA County numbers mirror the national projected growth, albeit more conservatively.

Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth Childcare Workers 5,050 14.9%

Child, Family & School Social Workers 1,460 17.3%

Instructional Coordinators 980 23.7%

Library Technicians 260 10.7%

Marriage & Family Therapists 990 42.7%

Postsecondary Teachers 9,480 18.4%

Preschool & Childcare Center Directors 300 12.8%

Preschool Teachers 1,680 12%

Primary, Secondary & Special Education Teachers

8,090 7.4%

Recreational Therapists 50 23.8%

Rehabilitation Counselors 820 27.3%

Social & Community Service Managers 1,030 23.1%

Social & Human Service Assistants 2,560 24.4%

Teacher Assistants 4,320 11.2%

Training & Development Managers 110 15.7%

Training & Development Specialists 1,330 29.6%

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5. Energy, Environment and Utilities: a. Environmental Resources b. Energy and Power Technology c. Telecommunications LAUSD currently has four pathways of this type: Carson’s Environmental Science, Engineering and Technology SLC; Lincoln’s Academy of Environmental & Social Policy; Sotomayor’s Los Angeles River School; and Westchester’s Environmental and Natural Sciences. Overall, there is a lack of job growth in this sector for traditional energy jobs, but not for green energy jobs. And as noted in the discussion of Agriculture and Natural Resources, if LAUSD pathways can prepare students for college majors and careers involving the hard sciences, those students will fare better in the job market. Students will also fare better if energy is integrated with green building technology, so some traditional building trades are included below. Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary (U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth

(U.S.)

Electrical Line Installers & Repairers


Electricians Apprenticeship* 49,840 114,700 20%

Environmental Science & Protection Technicians

Associate’s 41,240 6,200 19%

Environmental Scientists & Specialists

Bachelor’s 63,570 13,200 15%

Geological & Petroleum Technicians

Associate’s 52,700 2,400 15%

Geoscientists Bachelor’s 90,890 6,000 16%

Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Mechanics & Installers

Certificate/ Apprenticeship*

43,640 55,900 21%

Hydrologists Master’s 75,530 800 10%

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

On-the-job Training 74,990 0 0

Nuclear Technicians Associate’s 69,060 1,200 15%

Physicists Doctorate 106,840 2,100 10%

Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters


Power Distributor & Dispatchers

On-the-job Training 71,690 -100 -1%

Power Plant Operators On-the-job Training 66,130 -4,500 -11%

Solar Photovoltaic Installers On-the-job Training 37,900 1,200 24%

Telecommunications Equipment Installers & Repairers

Certificate 54,530 8,400 4%

Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant & System Operators


Wind Turbine Technicians Technical School 45,970 800 24%

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And in LA County: Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth Electrical Line Installers & Repairers 190 17.4%

Environmental Scientists 250 13.8%

Environmental Technicians 110 28.2%

Helpers, Electricians 160 12.3%

Meter Readers 130 12.6%

Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters 1,050 12.8%

Septic Tank Servicers & Sewer Pipe Cleaners

40 13.3%

Telecommunications Equipment Workers 1,130 15.1%

Telecommunications Line Installers & Repairers

600 10.5%

Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant & System Operators

190 9.8%

Finally, we note that pathways studying green energy face the added challenges of constantly evolving maintenance practices and new technologies. Programs of study must be designed in a way “that allows them to be able to adapt quickly to the changing technological environment and workforce needs. Since the rate of change, especially with regards to advancing technologies, is so quick, staying current with and having access to new equipment is difficult and expensive.”13 Green energy and higher education partners are vital for these pathways.

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6. Engineering and Architecture: a. Architectural Design b. Engineering Technology

c. Engineering Design d. Environmental Engineering In LAUSD, there are currently three engineering and design pathways—Bernstein’s STEM Academy of Hollywood; Carson’s Environmental Science, Engineering and Technology SLC; and Westchester’s Aviation and Aerospace. National job growth projections for this sector are largely disappointing in terms of overall number. A large exception is civil engineering, which is connected to growth in the construction sector. Another disappointing aspect, from the perspective of Linked Learning pathways’ preparing students for both career and college, is the dearth of job opportunities in this sector for high school graduates. Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary (U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth

(U.S.)

Aerospace Engineering & Operations Technicians


Aerospace Engineers Bachelor’s 103,720 6,100 7%

Architects Bachelor’s 73,090 18,600 17%

Architectural & Engineering Managers

Bachelor’s 124,870 13,100 7%

Chemical Engineers Bachelor’s 94,350 1,500 4%

Chemical Technicians Associate’s 42,920 6,000 9%

Civil Engineering Technicians


Civil Engineers Bachelor’s 79,340 53,700 20%

Computer Hardware Engineers

Bachelor’s 100,920 6,200 7%

Drafters Associate’s 49,630 2,200 1%

Electrical & Electronic Engineering Technicians


Electrical & Electronics Engineers

Bachelor’s 89,630 12,600 4%

Electrical & Electronics Installers & Repairers


Electro-mechanical Technicians


Environmental Engineering Technicians

Associate’s 45,350 3,500 18%

Environmental Engineers Bachelor’s 80,890 8,100 15%

General Maintenance & Repair Workers


Health & Safety Engineers Bachelor’s 76,830 2,600 11%

Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Mechanics & Installers

Certificate/ Apprenticeship*

43,640 55,900 21%

Industrial Designers Bachelor’s 59,610 1,700 4%

Industrial Engineering Technicians

Associate’s 50,980 -2,200 -3%

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Industrial Engineers Bachelor’s 78,860 10,100 5%

Landscape Architects Bachelor’s 64,180 2,900 14%

Marine Engineers & Naval Architects

Bachelor’s 88,100 800 10%

Materials Engineers Bachelor’s 85,150 200 1%

Mechanical Engineering Technicians

Associate’s 51,980 2,200 5%

Mechanical Engineers Bachelor’s 80,580 11,600 5%

Mining & Geological Engineers

Bachelor’s 84,320 1,000 12%

Nuclear Engineers Bachelor’s 104,270 1,900 9%

Petroleum Engineers Bachelor’s 130,280 9,800 26%

Physicists Doctorate 106,840 2,100 10%

Technical Writers Bachelor’s 65,500 7,400 15%

And in LA County, the numbers are also low: Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth Aerospace Engineers 750 8.2%

Chemical Engineers 70 16.7%

Civil Engineers 910 12.2%

Electrical Engineers 430 8%

Electronics Engineers 510 9.3%

Environmental Engineering Technicians 120 19.4%

Environmental Engineers 250 26.9%

Health & Safety Engineers 60 10.3%

Industrial Engineering Technicians 230 18.9%

Materials Engineers 270 22.7%

Mechanical Engineering Technicians 70 8.5%

Mechanical Engineers 470 7.9%

Petroleum Engineers 30 11.1%

Physicists 130 13.1%

Sample Engineering Career Ladder:

Environmental Engineering Technician: Associate’s Required

Environmental Engineer: Bachelor’s Req’d

Engineering Manager: Bachelor’s Required

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7. Fashion and Interior Design:

a. Fashion Design and Merchandising b. Interior Design

c. Personal Services There are currently no LAUSD pathways for this sector, which is good since there appears to be little possibility for long-term growth in these industries—especially fashion, which will experience negative growth. Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary (U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth

(U.S.)

Fashion Designers Bachelor’s 62,860 -700 -3%

Interior Designers Bachelor’s 47,600 7,000 13%

Jewelers & Precious Stone & Metal Workers

High School 35,350 -3,200 -10%

Models High School 18,750 700 15%

In LA County, the numbers are also low despite possible careers in film and television and despite the fact that fashion is an industry more prevalent in Los Angeles that in many other metropolitan areas.

Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth Fabric & Apparel Patternmakers -250 -12.6%

Fashion Designers 340 8.9%

Hand Sewers 40 3.9%

Interior Designers 3,150 23.5%


-70 -4%

Pressers, Textile & Garment 70 2.6%

Sewing Machine Operators -3,230 -13%

Shoe & Leather Workers & Repairers 90 22.5%

Tailors, Dressmakers & Custom Sewers 370 13.3%

Textile Cutting Machine Workers -270 -9.6%

Textile Knitting & Weaving Machine Workers

-170 -18.1%

Textile Winding & Twisting Machine Workers

-20 -10%

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8. Finance and Business: a. Business Management

b. Financial Services c. International Business This is a popular LAUSD sector choice, with five current pathways: Banning’s International Trade Academy; Carson’s Global Business, Law and Government; Contreras’ School of Business and Tourism; Dorsey’s School of Business and Entrepreneurship; and Hawkins’ Responsible Indigenous Social Entrepreneurship. With the wide range of occupational possibilities and median salaries in this sector, it clearly offers low-income students a path to the middle class. However, it is a sector that offers mixed job growth projections nationally: occupations range from below-average to above-average growth. Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary (U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth

(U.S.)

Accountants & Auditors Bachelor’s 63,550 166,700 13%

Actuaries Bachelor’s 93,680 6,300 26%

Appraisers & Assessors of Real Estate

Bachelor’s 49,540 4,700 6%

Bill & Account Collectors On-the-job Training 32,480 58,200 15%

Bookkeeping, Accounting & Auditing Clerks

High School 35,170 204,600 11%

Budget Analysts Bachelor’s 69,280 3,800 6%

Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners & Investigators

High School 59,850 10,800 3%

Compensation, Benefits & Job Analysis Specialists

Bachelor’s 59,090 5,300 6%

Compensation & Benefits Managers

Bachelor’s 95,250 600 3%

Cost Estimators Bachelor’s 58,860 53,000 26%

Economists Master’s 91,860 2,300 14%

Financial Analysts Bachelor’s 76,950 39,300 16%

Financial Clerks High School 34,960 154,200 11%

Financial Examiners Bachelor’s 75,800 1,800 6%

Financial Managers Bachelor’s 109,740 47,100 9%

Fundraisers Bachelor’s 50,680 11,400 17%

Human Resources Specialists

Bachelor’s 55,800 33,200 8%

Human Resource Managers Bachelor’s 99,720 13,600 13%

Insurance Underwriters Bachelor’s 62,870 -6,500 -6%

Labor Relations Specialists Bachelor’s 54,660 -600 -1%

Loan Officers Bachelor’s 59,820 22,900 8%

Logisticians Bachelor’s 72,780 27,600 22%

Management Analysts Bachelor’s 78,600 133,800 19%

Personal Financial Advisors Bachelor’s 67,520 60,300 27%

Purchasing Managers, Buyers, & Purchasing Agents

Bachelor’s 60,550 19,700 4%

Securities, Commodities, & Financial Services Sales Agents

Bachelor’s 71,720 39,700 11%

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Tax Examiners, Collectors, & Revenue Agents

Bachelor’s 50,440 -2,700 -4%

Tellers High School 24,940 5,600 1%

Training & Development Managers

Bachelor’s 95,400 3,200 11%

Training & Development Specialists

Bachelor’s 55,930 35,400 15%

In Los Angeles, there is much projected growth by 2020 in this sector. Business and finance operations occupations alone will add 41,000 jobs, with an aggregate growth rate of 19.3%. In 2013 alone, accounting, tax preparation and bookkeeping added 4,970 jobs in LA County (11.3%).14 Given the high growth regionally and enough growth nationally, LAUSD should expand the number of Finance & Business pathways currently available to students. Course offerings should include financial recordkeeping and accounting skills to align most usefully to regional workforce needs. Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth Accountants & Auditors 7,100 18.8%

Actuaries 100 25.6%

Bill & Account Collectors 1,880 13.9%

Cost Estimators 1,200 28.5%

Credit Analysts 440 28.2%

Economists 140 22.2%

Financial Analysts 1,790 19.1%

Financial Clerks 15,280 14.4%

Human Resources Managers 460 16.1%

Insurance Claims & Policy Processing Clerks

750 11.6%

Loan Counselors 200 20.8%

Loan Officers 1,550 25.3%

Personal Financial Advisors 1,990 26.4%

Tax Preparers 280 13.1%

Tellers 1,210 7.9%

Sample Finance & Business Career Ladder:

Financial Clerk: High School Req’d

Brokerage Clerk: Associate’s Req’d

Financial Analyst: Bachelor’s Req’d

Financial Manager: Master’s Req’d

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9. Health Science and Medical Technology: a. Biotechnology b. Patient Care c. Health Care Administrative Services d. Health Care Operational Support Services e. Public and Community Health f. Mental and Behavioral Health There are a total of 11 LAUSD pathways focused on health and medicine:

1. Bernstein’s STEM Academy of Hollywood 2. Bravo Medical Magnet 3. Chatsworth’s Medical and Sciences Academy 4. Fairfax’s Health Sciences Academy 5. Hawkins’ Community Health Advocates School 6. Manual Arts’ School of Medical Sciences, Art and Technology 7. Marquez’s Huntington Park Institute of Applied Medicine 8. Orthopaedic Hospital Medical Magnet 9. Roosevelt’s Academy of Medical and Health Sciences 10. Sylmar’s Biotech Health Academy 11. Westchester’s Health and Sports Medicine

This is a sector we would like to see grow as there are such significant job growth projections, nationally and locally, for all levels of health and medical occupations. “Many of the occupations… can be filled with community college education or technical training” and “provide the opportunity for career advancement through the development of specialized expertise gained with on-the-job experience.”15 Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary (U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth

(U.S.)

Athletic Trainers Bachelor’s 42,090 5,400 19%

Audiologists Doctorate 69,720 4,300 34%

Biochemists & Biophysicists Doctorate 81,480 5,400 19%

Biological Technicians Bachelor’s 39,750 8,000 10%

Biomedical Engineers Bachelor’s 86,960 5,200 27%

Cardiovascular Technologists & Technicians

Associate’s 52,070 15,700 30%

Chiropractors Doctorate 66,160 6,500 15%

Community Health Workers High School Diploma 34,620 10,200 25%

Dental Assistants Postsecondary Classes 34,500 74,400 25%

Dental Hygienists Associate’s 70,210 64,200 33%

Dentists Doctorate 149,310 23,300 16%

Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

Associate’s 65,860 27,000 46%

Dieticians & Nutritionists Bachelor’s 55,240 14,200 21%

EMTs and Paramedics Postsecondary Classes 31,020 55,300 23%

Epidemiologists Master’s 65,270 500 10%

Exercise Physiologists Bachelor’s 44,770 600 9%

Forensic Science Technicians

Bachelor’s 52,840 700 6%

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Genetic Counselors Bachelor’s 56,800 900 41%

Health Educators Bachelor’s 48,790 11,200 19%

Home Health Aides On-the-job Training 20,820 424,200 48%

Licensed Practical Nurses Postsecondary Classes 41,540 182,900 25%

Magnetic Resonance & Imaging Technologists

Associate’s 65,360 7,100 24%

Massage Therapists Postsecondary Classes 35,970 30,000 23%

Medical & Clinical Laboratory Technologists & Technicians

Bachelor’s 47,820 70,600 22%

Medical Assistants Postsecondary Classes 29,370 162,900 29%

Medical & Health Services Managers

Bachelor’s 88,580 73,300 23%

Medical Equipment Repairers

Associate’s 44,570 12,800 30%

Medical Records & Health Information Technicians

Postsecondary Classes 34,160 41,100 22%

Medical Scientists Doctoral 76,980 13,700 13%

Medical Transcriptionists Postsecondary Classes 34,020 6,400 8%

Microbiologists Bachelor’s 66,260 1,400 7%

Nuclear Medicine Technologists

Associate’s 70,180 4,200 20%

Nurse Anesthetists Master’s 148,160 8,800 25%

Nurse Midwives Master’s 89,600 1,700 29%

Nurse Practitioners Master’s 89,960 37,100 34%

Nursing Assistants Clinical Training 24,420 312,200 21%

Occupational Health & Safety Specialists

Bachelor’s 66,790 4,200 7%

Occupational Health & Safety Technicians


Occupational Therapists Master’s 75,400 32,800 29%

Occupational Therapy Aides On-the-job Training 26,850 3,000 36%

Occupational Therapy Assistants

Associate’s 53,240 12,900 43%

Opticians, Dispensing On-the-job Training 33,330 15,800 23%

Optometrists Doctoral 97,820 8,100 24%

Orderlies On-the-job Training 23,990 9,100 17%

Orthotists & Prosthetists Master’s 62,670 3,000 36%

Personal Care Aides On-the-job Training 19,910 580,800 49%

Pharmacists Doctoral 116,670 41,400 14%

Pharmacy Technicians On-the-job Training 29,320 70,700 20%

Phlebotomists Postsecondary Classes 29,730 27,100 27%

Physical Therapy Aides On-the-job Training 23,880 20,100 40%

Physical Therapy Assistants Associate’s 52,160 29,300 41%

Physical Therapists Doctoral 79,860 73,500 36%

Physician Assistants Master’s 90,930 33,300 38%

Physicians & Surgeons Doctoral 187,200 123,300 18%

Podiatrists Doctoral 116,440 2,400 23%

Psychiatric Aides High School 24,580 4,900 6%

Psychiatric Technicians Postsecondary Certificate

30,050 2,800 4%

Radiologic Technologists Associate’s 54,620 41,500 21%

Radiation Therapists Associate’s 77,560 4,500 24%

Recreational Therapists Bachelor’s 42,280 2,700 13%

Registered Nurses Associate’s 65,470 526,800 19%

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Respiratory Therapists Associate’s 55,870 22,700 19%

Speech Language Pathologists

Master’s 69,870 26,000 19%

Surgical Technologists Postsecondary Classes 41,790 29,300 30%

Veterinarians Doctoral 84,460 8,400 12%

Veterinary Assistants & Laboratory Animal Caretakers


Veterinary Technologists & Technicians

Associate’s 30,290 25,000 30%

Zoologists & Wildlife Biologists

Bachelor’s 57,710 1,000 5%

This sector is the most significant in terms of growth for Southern California and impacts many other sectors as well, like building trades and construction. Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth Biomedical Engineers 300 60%

Dental Assistants 1,430 13.7%

Dieticians & Nutritionists 420 22.5%

Emergency Medical Technicians & Paramedics

1,540 43.5%

Exercise Physiologists 510 28.3%

Family & General Practitioners 560 20.9%

Healthcare Social Workers 860 27.2%

Health Educators 620 30%

Health Information Technicians 1,100 22.3%

Home Health Aides 7,280 49.4%

Licensed Vocational Nurses 5,280 27.8%

Medical & Health Services Managers 1,640 22.2%

Medical Assistants 5,010 21.4%

Medical Secretaries 5,580 28%

Medical Scientists, except Epidemiologists 1,580 28.8%

Mental Health Counselors 480 24.9%

Opticians, Dispensing 280 17.9%

Optometrists 150 16.9%

Personal Care Aides 40,300 30.8%

Pharmacists 1,310 22.4%

Pharmacy Aides 560 28%

Pharmacy Technicians 1,880 28.8%

Physical Therapists 1,090 25.1%

Physician Assistants 520 24.4%

Speech-Language Pathologists 400 17.5%

Surgeons 260 20.3%

Surgical Technologists 400 14.7%

Respiratory Therapists 720 17.7%

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Sample Health Sciences Career Ladder:

Nurse Practitioner: Master’s Required

Physician Assistant: Master’s Required

Nursing Assistant: High School & Clinical Training Required

Licensed Practical Nurse: Postsecondary Classes Required

Registered Nurse: Associate’s Req’d

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10. Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation:

a. Food Science, Dietetics and Nutrition b. Food Service and Hospitality c. Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation There are currently two LAUSD pathways for hospitality and tourism: Contreras’ School of Business and Tourism, where the ninth and tenth graders study Cultural Geography and Ecotourism, and Westchester’s Health and Sports Medicine, where students study culinary arts. Last year, “Los Angeles County hosted a record 42.2 million visitors, … a 2.0% increase over the previous year”; the leisure and hospitality sector added 18,817 jobs.16 Though tourism is a significant part of the Los Angeles overall economy, it isn’t projected to be a large growth sector nationally. Also, most of the job growth—the numbers are staggeringly high—is in the lower-skilled and lower-paid occupations of the sector. Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary (U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth

(U.S.)

Bakers High School 23,140 9,400 6%

Bartenders High School 18,900 65,600 12%

Chefs & Head Cooks High School 42,480 6,000 5%

Cooks High School 20,550 205,300 10%

Fitness Trainers & Instructors

Certificate 31,720 33,500 13%

Food Preparation Workers High School 19,300 28,900 4%

Food Service Managers High School 47,960 5,000 2%

Lodging Managers High School 46,810 700 1%

Meeting, Convention & Event Planners

Bachelor’s 45,810 31,300 33%

Recreation Workers Bachelor’s 22,240 49,000 14%

Travel Agents On-the-job Training 34,600 -8,900 -12%

Waiters & Waitresses High School 18,540 131,800 6%

In LA County, most of the job growth in this sector will be in lower-skilled occupations: Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth

Bakers 850 13%

Bartenders 2,540 23.3%

Chefs & Head Cooks 680 23%

Cooks, Fast Food 8,590 28.4%

Cooks, Institution & Cafeteria 1,370 26.9%

Cooks, Restaurants 6,690 27.1%

Dishwashers 4,540 26.9%

Food Preparation Workers 6,130 23.3%

Food Service Managers 3,490 30.1%

Hotel, Motel & Resort Desk Clerks 420 11.4%

Meeting, Convention & Event Planners 740 38.1%

Recreation Workers 2,030 17.7%

Waiters & Waitresses 14,780 25.4%

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11. Information and Communications Technologies: a. Information Support and Services b. Networking c. Software and Systems Development d. Games and Simulation LAUSD currently has no pathway of this type, which is unfortunate because it is a clear growth industry with major needs for skilled workers both regionally and nationally. Preparation and education in IT is clearly a path into the middle class. The training could also prepare students for more technologically-oriented roles in other industries, such as healthcare or manufacturing. LAUSD should make it a priority to cultivate IT pathways. It might be possible to easily adjust a pathway’s curriculum, like one that includes a web design course, to be more technically oriented. Pathways like Hawkins’ Critical Design and Gaming School seem ripe for a deepening and broadening of curriculum; Bernstein STEM Academy of Hollywood is developing a software engineering course. On the other hand, there may be other factors to consider such as the shortage of teachers qualified to teach computer science; creative solutions may be required to attract professionals to gain the CTE certification required to teach just one course. Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary (U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth

(U.S.)

Computer & Information Research Scientists

Doctorate 102,190 4,100 15%

Computer & Information Systems Managers

Bachelor’s 120,950 50,900 15%

Computer, ATM & Office Machine Repairers


Computer Hardware Engineers

Bachelor’s 100,920 6,200 7%

Computer Network Architects

Bachelor’s 91,000 20,900 15%

Computer Programmers Bachelor’s 74,280 28,400 8%

Computer Support Specialists

Associate’s 48,900 123,000 17%

Computer Systems Analysts Bachelor’s 79,680 127,700 25%

Database Administrators Bachelor’s 77,080 17,900 15%

Electrical & Electronics Installers & Repairers


Information Security Analysts

Bachelor’s 86,170 27,400 37%

Mathematicians Master’s 101,360 800 23%

Medical Equipment Repairers

Associate’s 44,570 12,800 30%

Network & Computer Systems Administrators

Bachelor’s 72,560 42,900 12%

Operations Research Analysts

Bachelor’s 72,100 19,500 27%

Software Developers Bachelor’s 93,350 222,600 22%

Web Developers Associate’s 62,500 28,500 20%

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In LA County, future workforce needs mirror national projections. On any given Sunday, a good portion of the jobs listed in the Los Angeles Times are for programmers, software engineers and systems analysts. Areas like Pasadena and Santa Monica are attracting tech companies and startups. Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth

Computer & Information Research Scientists

100 18.9%

Computer & Information Systems Managers

1,370 14.5%

Computer Programmers 640 6.9%

Computer Support Specialists 2,630 16.5%

Computer Systems Analysts 1,960 15.1%

Network & Computer Systems Administrators

2,090 22%

Software Developers, Applications 3,200 23.1%

Software Developers, Systems Software 3,060 23.2%

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12. Manufacturing and Product Development: a. Graphic Production Technologies b. Machining and Forming Technologies c. Welding and Materials Joining d. Product Innovation and Design LAUSD currently has only one pathway of this type, Van Nuys’ Auto and Manufacturing, where some students study a sequence of machining and forming technology courses. Though recently there has been press focus on “reshoring,” some companies moving manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., labor projections still show low and negative growth over the next decade. If we think about both career growth and longevity, students will be better prepared for a lifetime of steady and sustainable work by studying in other pathway types. We do not see enough evidence of long-term growth in this sector to merit district focus on pathway creation. However, we do not mean that LAUSD students should not be prepared for careers in manufacturing. “Advanced,” high-tech manufacturing has been identified as a primary sector for Los Angeles County by the Community College system and a consortium of business leaders. Los Angeles had more people employed in manufacturing in 2009 than any other metropolitan area in the country, mostly in computer and electronic products, apparel, transportation equipment, fabricated metal products, and food.17 But the high-tech manufacturing needs posited by community efforts focus on specific fields, like biotechnology, which are represented by other pathway types. Demand has indeed been increasing for production workers with technology skills, who are able to manipulate computer applications; both Engineering and Architecture and Information Technology students will be better equipped to handle those high-tech manufacturing needs than students trained in more traditional manufacturing pathways with their emphasis on mechanical processes. Students who learn animation in Arts, Media and Entertainment pathways can apply their skills to 3D modeling and automation; visual arts students can apply their talents to drafting. We also see much of this sector directly correlating to the building trades and believe the district’s efforts will be better spent there. Local advanced manufacturers talk of the work being team and project-based; we see a wonderful relationship with the project-based learning experienced by students in Linked Learning pathways. Foremen deliver plans, information, and specs to work teams—much like assignments given to groups of students—and the team collaborates to fulfill each order. Orders change often, and teams must flexibly execute the plans each time to create an end-product that works for the customer. Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary (U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth

(U.S.)

Assemblers & Fabricators High School 28,580 64,200 4%

Boilermakers Apprenticeship* 56,560 700 4%

Dental Laboratory Technicians


Food & Tobacco Processing Workers

High School 25,780 500 0%

Industrial Machinery Mechanics


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Industrial Production Managers

Bachelor’s 89,190 -4,100 -2%


High School 35,350 -3,200 -10%

Machinists High School 39,500 34,800 9%

Medical Appliance Technicians


Metal & Plastic Machine Workers

High School 32,950 -59,100 -6%

Millwrights High School 49,510 7,200 18%

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians


Painting & Coating Workers High School 32,850 5,500 4%

Printing Workers On-the-job Training 34,100 -14,500 -5%

Quality Control Inspectors On-the-job Training 34,460 25,700 6%

Semiconductor Processors Associate’s 33,020 -5,800 -27%

Sheet Metal Workers Apprenticeship* 43,290 22,000 15%

Tool & Die Makers High School 47,000 -1,100 -1%

Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Brazers


Woodworkers On-the-job Training 28,440 15,700 8%

In LA County, projections mirror national projections, with some percentages showing larger growth than the actual numbers. Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth

Assemblers & Fabricators 3,170 8.3%

Computer-controlled Machine Tool Operators

710 23.3%

Dental Laboratory Technicians 30 2.3%

Electrical & Electronic Equipment Assemblers

180 4.8%

Food Processing Workers 3,630 17.5%

Industrial Machinery Mechanics 1,550 28.2%

Industrial Production Managers 420 8.9%


-70 -4%

Machinists 1,610 17.5%

Metal & Plastic Workers 3,050 7.2%

Millwrights -30 -10%

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians 10 5.6%

Packing & Filling Machine Workers 1,040 7.9%

Printing Workers -1,600 -19.1%

Rolling Machine Workers 140 14.6%

Semiconductor Processors -80 -11.1%

Separating & Filtering Machine Workers 130 18.3%

Tool & Die Makers -30 -3.1%

Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Brazers 700 12.1%

Woodworkers 80 1.5%

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13. Marketing, Sales and Service: a. Marketing b. Professional Sales c. Entrepreneurship/Self-employment There are currently three LAUSD pathways in this sector: Dorsey’s School of Business and Entrepreneurship, Hawkins’ Responsible Indigenous Social Entrepreneurship, and Jack London’s Service, Sales and Marketing (which is also focused on entrepreneurship and small business). This sector could be expanded as there will be plenty of job growth, both nationally and locally, to support students’ many levels of career aspiration. Pathways would also do well to expand past general entrepreneurship curricula into more specialized coursework for students. Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary (U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth

(U.S.)

Advertising & Promotions Managers

Bachelor’s 88,590 2,400 7%

Advertising Sales Agents On-the-job Training 46,290 -1,000 -1%

Cashiers High School 18,970 86,500 3%

Customer Service Representatives


Flight Attendants On-the-job Training 37,240 -5,500 -7%

Insurance Sales Agents On-the-job Training 48,150 45,900 10%

Marketing Managers Bachelor’s 119,480 22,900 13%

Market Research Analysts Bachelor’s 60,300 131,500 32%

Real Estate Brokers & Agents

Licensure/Formal Training

41,990 46,600 11%

Retail Sales Workers High School 21,410 450,200 10%

Sales Engineers Bachelor’s 91,830 5,900 9%

Sales Managers Bachelor’s 105,260 29,800 8%

Sales Representatives, Wholesale & Manufacturing, Technical & Scientific Products

Bachelor’s 74,970 37,200 10%

Sales Representatives, Wholesale & Manufacturing, Except Technical & Scientific Products


Securities, Commodities, & Financial Services Sales Agents

Bachelor’s 71,720 39,700 11%

Travel Agents On-the-job Training 34,600 -8,900 -12%

Wholesale & Manufacturing Sales Representatives

Bachelor’s 57,870 169,300 9%

LA County numbers largely mirror the national: Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth

Advertising & Promotions Managers 220 14.5%

Advertising Sales Agents 440 9.2%

Cashiers 15,740 18.3%

Customer Service Representatives 9,120 16.9%

Demonstrators & Product Promoters 680 17.1%

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Insurance Sales Agents 1,300 16.6%

Merchandise Displayers & Window Trimmers

560 27.1%

Retail Salespersons 24,560 21.4%

Retail Sales Supervisors 4,990 12.3%

Sales Engineers 370 20.1%

Sales Managers 2,280 14.4%

Sales Representatives, Technical & Scientific

1,650 19.7%

Sales Representatives, Wholesale & Manufacturing

9,760 19.3%

Stock Clerks & Order Fillers 5,680 10.7%

Sample Career Ladder in Marketing, Sales and Service:

Cashier: High School Req’d

Sales Associate: High School Req’d

Department Sales Manager: Associate’s Req’d

Marketing Manager: Bachelor’s

Stock Clerk: High School Req’d

Assistant Buyer: Associate’s Req’d

Merchandise Manager: Bachelor’s Req’d

Asst Store Manager: Bachelor’s Req’d

Store Manager: Bachelor’s

District Manager: Master’s Req’d

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14. Public Services:

a. Public Safety b. Emergency Response c. Legal Practices Currently, there are three LAUSD pathways in this sector: Carson’s Global Business, Law and Government; Dorsey’s School of Legal Studies; and Roosevelt’s Law Academy. The sector does, however, offer a mixed job-growth picture. Thoughtfully designed curricula could mitigate any ill effects of the negative growth occupations. We recommend a more calculated growth pattern for this type of pathway. Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary (U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth

(U.S.)

Arbitrators, Mediators & Conciliators

Bachelor’s 61,280 900 10%

Correctional Officers On-the-job Training 38,970 23,000 5%

Court Reporters Certificate 48,160 2,000 10%

EMTs and Paramedics Postsecondary Classes 31,020 55,300 23%

Firefighters Certificate & Training 45,250 20,300 7%

Fire Inspectors & Investigators


Judges & Hearing Officers Doctorate 102,980 400 1%

Lawyers Doctorate 113,530 74,800 10%

Paralegals & Legal Assistants

Associate’s 46,990 46,200 17%

Police & Detectives Training Academy 56,980 41,400 5%

Police, Fire & Ambulance Dispatchers


Political Scientists Bachelor’s 102,000 21,000 21%

Private Detectives & Investigators


Probation Officers & Correctional Treatment Specialists

Bachelor’s 48,190 -900 -1%

Postal Service Workers Exam & On-the-job Training

53,100 -139,100 -28%

Security Guards & Gaming Surveillance Officers


Social Workers Bachelor’s 44,200 114,100 19%

Sociologists Master’s 74,960 400 15%

Statisticians Master’s 75,560 7,400 27%

Survey Researchers Master’s 45,050 3,200 18%

Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth

Arbitrators, Mediators & Conciliators 70 8.1%

Court Reporters 100 9.4%

Eligibility Interviewers, Government 460 7%

Firefighters 610 8%

Information & Records Clerks 19,310 13.6%

Law Enforcement Workers 1,850 6.2%

Lawyers 2,750 9.4%

Paralegals & Legal Assistants 1,420 19.3%

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Postal Service Clerks -880 -49.4%

Postal Service Mail Processors -2,520 -49%

Public Safety Dispatchers 150 17%

Security Guards 9,920 19%

Statisticians 110 20%

Survey Researchers 30 4.6%

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15. Transportation: a. Operations

b. Structural Repair and Refinishing c. Systems Diagnostics, Service and Repair

LAUSD currently has one pathway of this type, Van Nuys’ Auto and Manufacturing. Job growth projections, both here and nationally, show growth mostly in low-paying, low-skilled occupations in this sector. Occupation Required Education 2012 Median Salary (U.S.) Projected 2022 Job Growth

(U.S.)

Aircraft Controllers Associate’s 122,530 400 1%

Aircraft Mechanics & Service Technicians

Certificate & Training 55,210 3,000 2%

Airline Pilots, Co-Pilots, & Flight Engineers

Bachelor’s 114,200 -4,400 -7%

Automotive Body & Glass Repairers


Automotive Service Technicians & Mechanics


Avionics Technicians Associate’s 55,350 500 3%

Bus Drivers High School 29,550 57,900 9%

Commercial Pilots License Training 73,280 3,600 9%

Delivery Truck Drivers High School 27,530 68,800 5%

Diesel Service Technicians & Mechanics


Flight Attendants On-the-job Training 37,240 -5,500 -7%

Hand Laborers & Material Movers

High School 22,970 341,700 10%

Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Certificate 38,200 192,600 11%

Material Recording Clerks High School 24,810 18,300 1%

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, except engines

Certificate 46,050 12,300 10%

Rail Car Repairers Certificate 48,500 500 2%

Railroad Workers On-the-job Training 52,400 -4,000 -3%

Small Engine Mechanics On-the-job Training 32,640 3,800 6%

Taxi Drivers & Chauffeurs On-the-job Training 22,820 36,200 16%

Water Transportation Workers

Bachelor’s 48,980 10,900 13%

Future opportunities in this sector mostly revolve around driving or delivery, generally jobs easy to secure out of high school with some requiring certification or licensing. Occupation Projected 2020 Los Angeles County Job Growth

Automotive Service Technicians & Mechanics

2,110 12.6%

Bicycle Repairers 150 33.3%

Bus & Truck Mechanics 810 17.4%

Bus Drivers, School or Special Client 1,160 16.5%

Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity 1,260 16.4%

Cargo & Freight Agents 1,910 26.3%

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Commercial Pilots 170 21%

Heavy Truck Drivers 5,410 18.4%

Industrial Truck & Trailer Operators 3,770 22.8%

Laborers & Material Movers 11,940 17.4%

Light Truck Drivers 3,120 10.7%

Motorcycle Mechanics 70 18.9%

Packers & Packagers 4,130 14.3%

Rail Car Repairers 100 34.5%

Taxi Drivers & Chauffeurs 1,830 30.7%

Tire Repairers & Changers 310 12%

Transportation & Materials Moving Supervisors

3,030 22%

Water Transportation Workers 670 26.6%

50

Implications for the Success and Sustainability of

Work-Based Learning Systems

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Work-based learning is a cornerstone of Linked Learning, providing half of the definition of “Linked” (the other half being cross-curricular integration in project-based learning). Students link the industry-specific content they are learning in the classroom to the experience of professionals and businesses working in those fields; students also find relevance in the broader skills they learn, like communication and collaboration skills. In order for the approach to be fully implemented in Los Angeles, students, teachers and schools must have access to learn from those professionals and those businesses. Some of the more established pathways have advisory boards, largely composed of industry professionals with a vested stake in the success of the school, who can address school needs for work-based learning and who can help shape curriculum. Others, especially newer pathways, do not have these established relationships and need assistance in setting those up. Work-based learning coordination for our high schools is currently provided by coordinators at the LAUSD Linked Learning Department and four intermediary organizations, with the United Way’s Linked Learning team working with the district to provide oversight and mentoring for the 10 work-based learning coordinators assigned to 4-5 schools apiece, divided by industry sector, and the 3 site-based coordinators. Work-based learning coordinators (WBLCs) work directly with school staff to provide support for students and teachers and to generate opportunities from their own outreach and business relationships, as well as those of their organization. These coordinators work to ensure pathway needs are met—and met well, with a match as meaningful as possible in terms of school curriculum and industry focus. There is still much work to be done to establish advisory boards, to build the capacity of school-site staff and to overcome limitations inherent in current business relationships for intermediaries and LAUSD. LAUSD vendors tend to be concentrated in a few main areas: construction, finance, health and education. There are wonderful opportunities for the benefit providers to be involved in our health science pathways, financial service providers to be involved in our finance and business pathways, and educational service providers to be involved in our education pathways. But we currently have no Building and Construction Trades pathways, which leaves many of the construction providers with little meaningful opportunity to be involved with our schools. With creativity and curricular growth, there is possibility for students at a pathway like Bernstein’s STEM Academy of Hollywood who study civil engineering to find work-based learning opportunities at a construction firm, but we propose that the district encourage the creation of a Building and Construction Trades pathway, perhaps integrated with architecture or civil engineering, to create a more synergistic relationship between its vendors and its high school students—and to take full advantage of LAUSD’s vendor resolution. The United Way, in the role of anchor organization for Linked Learning in Los Angeles, has a business relationship manager on our staff who secures work-based learning commitments from our largely traditional base of business partners who engage with and volunteer in our programmatic work. Their businesses mostly focus on banking, law, financial services, sales and marketing, energy, and engineering and technology. These businesses fit nicely with many of our existing pathway sectors, but creating partnerships for LAUSD’s more creative, arts-oriented pathways is challenging. Key to setting up sustainable systems for work-based learning will be the Linked Learning team’s ability to align partners throughout our community, including arts organizations and professional associations, and build bridges. An additional consideration is the proximity of employers to schools. Some schools are located near downtown Los Angeles and offer a wide range of employers to engage with, some within walking

52

distance or a short bus ride. Others are serendipitously close to medical centers. Close proximity is especially important for school-year internships, when students leave to work nearby during the school day. Yet other schools are more geographically isolated. Low-income neighborhoods with a dearth of employers offer a two-fold challenge: they hinder schools’ ability to create meaningful community partnerships and hinder students’ ability to find employment well linked to what they are learning. Industries are also clustered in various geographic areas in Los Angeles. Film and television studios, for example, are largely on the West side of Los Angeles and in the Southeast Valley, but digital filmmaking and video production schools are scattered as widely as East and South Los Angeles. Because so many high schools serve their surrounding neighborhoods, we then assume difficulty for those students to take advantage of opportunities like summer internships, which could require rides on public transportation of over an hour each way. Certainly employers can go to the schools for engagement—though they themselves sacrifice additional time for travel—but getting students out for opportunities is more difficult. The following is a discussion of the challenges WBLCs face within certain types of pathway. Agriculture and Natural Resources: At LAUSD, there are many food vendors, a few of which have direct linkages to growing fields and can provide tours, etc. But this is limited. At the United Way, we currently have no business partners that can provide significant support to this pathway type, but we are working, as a regional community leader, to leverage relationships with organizations such as the Huntington Library and Gardens, which has a research ranch. Arts, Media and Entertainment: Both the type of network demanded for adequate coordination and the over-saturation of these pathways, even broken down into the more granular list below, has created difficulties for WBLCs. Digital Filmmaking/Video Production: Contreras’ LA School of Global Studies Dorsey’s School of Digital Filmmaking and Theatre Arts Fremont’s School for Global and Media Arts Hollywood’s New Media Academy With all the film and television work going on in Los Angeles, one might assume work-based learning would be easy to set up for these pathways, but we have found a general unwillingness to engage with students at the upper end of the work-based learning continuum—career preparation and training. Studios, shows and smaller businesses are happy to engage in guest speaking, workplace tours and career fairs, but only a few are willing to provide job shadow experiences or actual work experience like internships. While we recognize the need to consider safety issues in regard to students being on set, there are many areas in film and television (casting, post-production, etc.) that do not pose these issues. We encourage the film industry to consider how highly skilled many of our students are (in editing, lighting, sound,

etc.) and how their involvement might enrich student experience and ultimately proactively build a talent pool.

Digital Media: Contreras’ LA School of Global Studies

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Hilda Solis’ Digital Media Academy RFK’s School of Visual Arts and Humanities

Again, both the United Way and LAUSD tend not to have digital media businesses as partners or vendors. While it is somewhat possible to serve schools’ needs with individual professionals working in-house in traditional businesses, working freelance or in small companies, or working in-house at LAUSD, WBLCs continue to have difficulty and actively seek partnerships.

Game Design and Integration: Hawkins’ Critical Design and Gaming School

We have just one pathway doing gaming, but its focus on only the design aspects of gaming has challenged our ability to offer work-based learning opportunities. Many employers have expressed the opinion that the school should provide a curriculum richer in computer programming; if it were to enrich its curriculum, WBLCs would no doubt have an easier time orchestrating professional relationships.

Theatre Arts, including Tech: Dorsey’s School of Digital Filmmaking and Theatre Arts RFK’s LA High School of the Arts Sotomayor’s School of History and Dramatic Arts Torres’ East LA Performing Arts Academy

Here, it is much easier to provide work-based learning opportunities for the students studying technical arts like set design and lighting. Those students’ skills are in demand for internships and apprenticeships. But it remains difficult to find work- based learning opportunities for students learning to direct and act.

Visual and Performing Arts: RFK’s School for Visual Arts and Humanities Torres’ East LA Performing Arts Academy

This type of pathway is the most difficult of all AME pathways to secure work-based learning for. Some of the schools’ needs for visual artists, especially in drawing, have been satisfied in-house by LAUSD.

Education, Child Development and Family Services: LAUSD itself can provide a wealth of opportunity here, though it has largely gone untapped, with its myriad experts in everything from early child education to homeless and foster youth. Community-based organizations can also provide expertise and support and should be better tapped in 2014-15 and beyond. One limitation, however, is the capacity of non-profit and education professionals, who tend to be overextended in the first place. Finance and Business: Issues here are not about a lack of potential partners. Opportunities abound for students in these pathways, and most work-based learning needs are relatively easy to accommodate. Rather, we find the banking part of this industry sector to be overly focused on financial literacy programs when

54

considering engagement with schools. We believe a wider view of Corporate Social Responsibility is called for. Financial literacy is an important part of workplace readiness for all students in LAUSD, but it is not a part of work-based learning that intersects meaningfully with business curriculum. Union Bank has recently opened two fully operational, student-run bank branches on LAUSD campuses, giving students a summer of training after their junior year and an internship throughout their senior year; students receive both a stipend and a scholarship. While these are not technically Linked Learning campuses yet, the relationship between company and school should serve as a model for other banks. Being more meaningfully involved with schools would also be a way for banks to increase the long-term economic growth of the communities, neighborhoods and cities they serve. Health Sciences and Medical Technology: In health, HIPPA regulations interfere with high school students’ ability to even watch a practitioner deliver care. We see the best opportunity for students to engage in the upper levels of the work-based learning continuum to be certificate programs established at pathways so that there is practicum built into the curriculum itself. In the meantime, teacher externships could strengthen student learning experiences with more up-to-date medical practices. Manufacturing and Product Development: While manufacturers in Los Angeles are clamoring for skilled workers, engagement with the higher end of the work-based learning spectrum has proven difficult due to OSHA rules and regulations in regard to students under 18 being on a shop floor near potentially dangerous machinery. Indeed, students in Van Nuys’ pathway focused on machining cannot practice their machining skills with any area employers. This narrows possible work experiences to safer tasks like assembly. Transportation: The focus of our one transportation pathway on auto repair, combined with the nature of business and vendor relationships, makes creating student opportunities difficult. The pathway itself is near a number of dealerships and repair shops and has some relationships, but more have to be thoughtfully carved out. A broader and more rigorous curriculum must be encouraged as well to prevent the perception of auto shop as a traditional vocational education offering and lower expectations for student ability and potential. Currently, no pathways focus on the operations side of transportation, which is fortuitous.

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Resources Cited: 1. California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System, California Department of Education Educational Demographics Unit. http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/ Accessed report on 7/1/14. 2. California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System, California Department of Education Data Reporting Office. http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/ Data last updated on 3/24/2014. Accessed report on 6/18/14. 3. “Employment Projections: Employment by summary education and training assignment, 2012 and projected 2022.” Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook. http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_education_summary.htm Data last updated on 12/19/13. Accessed report on 2/4/14. 4. Los Angeles infographic. Economic Policy and Analysis Group, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/LA_COUNTY_2010.pdf 5. Freeman, Cooper, Poghosyan and Sedgwick. Exhibit 3-10, “Top 30 Industries by Employment.” The Next Decade: Industries and Occupations for the Los Angeles Workforce. Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, 2010. 74. http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2011_TheNextDecade1.pdf 6. “Most New Jobs: 20 occupations with the highest projected numeric change in employment.” Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook. http://www.bls.gov/ooh/most-new-jobs.htm Data last updated on 1/8/2014. Accessed report on 2/4/14. 7. “2010-2020 Comparison of Growing Occupations by Entry Level Education, Los Angeles County.” Labor Market Info, State of California Employment Development Department. http://www.calmis.ca.gov/file/indproj/LA$_highlights.pdf October 2012. Accessed 3/5/14. 8. Lindstrom, Walters and Fleming. Supply Chain Technicians in the U.S.: Nationwide Employer Survey Results. National Center for Supply Chain Technology Education. May 2013. 17. 9. Freeman, Cooper, Poghosyan and Sedgwick. Exhibit 5-2, “Top 50 Detailed Occupations by Employment (May 2009).” The Next Decade: Industries and Occupations for the Los Angeles Workforce. Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, 2010. 98-106. http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2011_TheNextDecade1.pdf 10. Kleinhenz and Ritter-Martinez. 2013 Otis Report on the Creative Economy of the Los Angeles Region. Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation for Otis College of Art and Design, February 2014. 10. http://www.otis.edu/sites/default/files/2013-Otis_Report_on_the_Creative_Economy-2.pdf 11. Freeman, Cooper, Poghosyan and Sedgwick. The Next Decade: Industries and Occupations for the Los Angeles Workforce. Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, 2010. 66. http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2011_TheNextDecade1.pdf

http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/

http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/

http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_education_summary.htm

http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/LA_COUNTY_2010.pdf

http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/LA_COUNTY_2010.pdf

http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2011_TheNextDecade1.pdf


http://www.bls.gov/ooh/most-new-jobs.htm

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/most-new-jobs.htm

http://www.calmis.ca.gov/file/indproj/LA$_highlights.pdf



http://www.otis.edu/sites/default/files/2013-Otis_Report_on_the_Creative_Economy-2.pdf

http://www.otis.edu/sites/default/files/2013-Otis_Report_on_the_Creative_Economy-2.pdf


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12. Kleinhenz, Ritter-Martinez, Guerra, Entis and Menendez. 2014-2015 Economic Forecast and Industry Outlook. The Kyser Center for Economic Research, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. February 2014. 64. http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/LAEDC-2014-15-February-Forecast-Report.pdf 13. Gaertner and Lindstrom. California Workforce Education and Training Needs Assessment: For Energy Efficiency, Distributed Generation, and Demand Response. Donald Vial Center on Employment in the Green Economy, Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, University of California Berkeley. 2011. 120. http://www.irle.berkeley.edu/vial/publications/WET_Part2.pdf 14. Kleinhenz, Ritter-Martinez, Guerra, Entis and Menendez. 2014-2015 Economic Forecast and Industry Outlook. The Kyser Center for Economic Research, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. February 2014. 68. http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/LAEDC-2014-15-February-Forecast-Report.pdf 15. Freeman, Cooper, Poghosyan and Sedgwick. The Next Decade: Industries and Occupations for the Los Angeles Workforce. Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, 2010. 90. http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2011_TheNextDecade1.pdf 16. Kleinhenz, Ritter-Martinez, Guerra, Entis and Menendez. 2014-2015 Economic Forecast and Industry Outlook. The Kyser Center for Economic Research, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. February 2014. 87-8. http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/LAEDC-2014-15-February-Forecast-Report.pdf 17. Sidhu, Ritter and Guerra. “Table 16: Metropolitan Manufacturing Employment by Sector, 2009.” Manufacturing: Still a Force in Southern California. Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, 2011. 31. http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Manufacturing_2011.pdf

http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/LAEDC-2014-15-February-Forecast-Report.pdf


http://www.irle.berkeley.edu/vial/publications/WET_Part2.pdf






http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Manufacturing_2011.pdf

http://cdn.laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Manufacturing_2011.pdf

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