Cerritos College, out of the 108 colleges in California provides students with on the job training as well as earning an A.A. or certificate in their chosen specialized area. Many businesses looking for skillful workers turn to Cerritos College.

Some of the vocational programs that Cerritos offers include the Health Occupations, Woodworking Manufacturing Technologies, and Culinary Arts.

Cerritos Health Occupations program is well known for its wide range of different programs such as Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene, Emergency Technician, Physical Therapist Assistant, Speech Pathologist Assistant, Pharmacy Clerk and Technician, Medical Technician and Medical Assisting.

In addition, a Health Occupations Skills Lab is currently being created.

The Skills Lab will provide more lab space and classrooms, a retail pharmacy setting, a hospital pharmacy setting, three rooms for hospital beds, a medication room and nursing stations.

Another well-known program here at Cerritos is the Culinary Arts Program. The Culinary Arts Program offers students to get the chance for hands on work experience with the kitchen.

Students who want a certificate may get one in the Professional Baking and Pastry Program or the Professional Chef’s Training Program. Each of these programs is three semesters long.

Each class starts with a beginning lecture, demonstration and then hands on experience in the program’s well know café, which resides in the Student Center Mon-Thurs. from 11a.m. to 1p.m.

Head of Culinary Arts, Michael Pierini says, “The reason why our program is so successful is because for one, students need to eat. We have a strong program and we’re self-sufficient. After our students graduate from our program, they find jobs right away working in hotels, restaurants, and country clubs.”

Places such as the Long Beach Hilton or the Disney Resort have turned to Cerritos College for skillful professional students.

The only profit-generating program on campus, The Culinary Arts Program earns $100,000 a year in profit.

In the end, all the profits go towards maintain the kitchen by buying new stoves or ovens if necessary.

The Woodworking Manufacturing Technologies program has earned national recognition for its specialized industry training as well as industry partnerships.

Instructors teach their students comprehensive woodworking, furniture making and manufacturing, cabinetmaking and manufacturing, and computer operations for woodworking.

By supporting the industry’s training, the WMT program has earned national recognition for the college.

There are more than 500 students enrolled in the program. WMT classes are held seven days a week starting from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

WMT also has a campus club called the Cerritos Students Woodworking Association. CSWA is a student run organization with an interest in woodworking.

WMT industry partners also offer students a chance to get scholarship money. Money given can be as high as $10,000.

Department Chair, Bob Colgan, says, “Students can receive training in the Woodworking Manufacturing Technology program to get a job with local furniture or cabinetmaking businesses.”