Launched quickly and on a large scale in 2007, CAAs have enrolled over 6200 students statewide and operate in a nearly one-third of the California Community Colleges (32 of 112 colleges) in three major regions: the East Bay, Central Valley and Los Angeles.

The CAAs were refunded in 2011 as a direct result of the quantifiable successes of phase one from 2007-2010. In their second phase, CAAs have grown to include colleges in the greater Los Angeles area as well as in the San Francisco Peninsula and South Bay and have expanded from one-semester bridge programs to include one-year pathways. CAAs accelerate student progress by integrating work readiness, career guidance, support services, contextualized basic skills, language learning and career technical training. Students take classes together as a cohort, forming a peer learning community. CAAs build on integral partnerships between local community colleges, high schools, adult education/ROCPs, employers, workforce boards, labor, social service agencies and community-based organizations.

The CAAs are funded by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, using SB70 funds from the Governor’s Career Technical Education Initiative matched with local public and private resources.

Related Links

+ Awarded Sites

+ First Three Years

+ Program Overview

Career Pathway Maps:

-Skyline Automotive Stackable Certificate

-Allied Health Pathways

-Laney BAAM Stackable Certificates

— Career Advancement Academies (CAA)

How It Works: contextual learning & cohort experience The Career Advancement Academies (CAA) establish pipelines to college and high wage careers for low-income young adults who face academic and personal barriers to post-secondary education and employment. CAAs increase foundational skills in reading, writing and mathematics while enrolling students in career technical training programs that lead to careers or higher education opportunities.