West Hills College Coalinga offers short-term classes through its ECampus

The short-term classes are being offered through WHCC’s ECampus. The new series of online learning opportunities are focused on specific software skills including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Photoshop, Maya, Unity, and Pro Tools First. 3-course pathways are designed toward careers in Digital Publishing, Game Design, Video and Audio Production, Digital Art, and Microsoft Office Specialist or Mastery.

“The concurrent enrollment opportunity developed by West Hills Community College is remarkable,” said Jerauld S. Winthrop, CPA Lead Consultant. “That they’ve been able to bring together such an impressive list of partners, captivating course options, and excellent support systems to be able to provide everything a student needs to jump-start a true 21st-centurycareer - at zero cost to the student! - speaks volumes about their dedication as professional educators.”

Funded by a WHCC Title V grant, the classes are designed for adult learners, and current West Hills College Coalinga students and are also being utilized to enhance curriculum at California Partnership Academy Schools, which focus on rigorous career technical education and fosters active business and post-secondary partnerships.

Each of the individual classes is offered online and leads to an industry credential, including IC3 Digital Literacy Certification, Microsoft Office Specialist (Word, Excel), Adobe Certified Associate (Photoshop) and Certiport's Entrepreneurship and Small Business third party credentials. Students who complete the courses can take the third-party industry credential tests for free, a $169 value. They also get free access to Lynda.com, and no textbook is required in any of the courses. Each class is taught by industry experts and career technical education subject matter experts.

“Our main priority with these classes is to complement the many different educational efforts happening around the state,” said Kelly Cooper, Associate Vice Chancellor of Connected Learning for the West Hills Community College District. “We also value the importance of giving students the chance to earn skills that will lead them to rewarding careers with livable wages.”

West Hills College Coalinga is currently working on developing an implementation guide for other schools and districts detailing the steps that went into offering online, short-term classes and third-party credentials.

WHCC is working toward offering additional credentials in subjects including API development, Data Analytics, Blockchain technologies, and the Internet of Things technologies. Future classes will also be geared toward preparing students for specific industry exams including the Microsoft Technology Associate exams and Google certification.

For more information, contact Kelly Cooper at (559) 670-0352.