{"id":7099,"date":"2021-10-04T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-04T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/the-roar.net\/?p=7099"},"modified":"2021-10-05T06:14:04","modified_gmt":"2021-10-05T13:14:04","slug":"sjcc-centennial-trailblazing-career-education-for-silicon-valley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/the-roar.net\/?p=7099","title":{"rendered":"SJCC Centennial: Trailblazing Career Education for Silicon Valley"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cWe had a laser program early on. They would shine a laser beam from the 100 building to the library, you\u2019d see this wonderful green beam going across,\u201d said retired faculty member Charles Hunter. \u201cThey had to work with the FAA because it\u2019s not legal to direct laser beams in the air.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many students, faculty and staff surely remember this nighttime laser display, which for a time had approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It was intended to celebrate and promote SJCC\u2019s Laser Technology Department in the eighties. To this day, the program continues to be the only one of its kind in northern California. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a prime example of our philosophy towards career education, which is both pioneering and mindful. At SJCC, staying relevant and connected to surrounding industries is just as important as preparing confident and capable students. Much has changed over the last century, but our core values remain the same. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technical Education in A Different Era<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

San Jos\u00e9 City College has always designed its courses with the community in mind, but at the inception of San Jos\u00e9 Junior College, the course catalog looked very different. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hunter, who taught in the Reading Department for over 40 years, is also SJCC\u2019s unofficial historian. \u201cThe majors offered during the formative years of the junior college were limited and, in the case of technical offerings, reflected the needs of a labor market markedly different from today. In addition to the expected English, Science, Mathematics, Education, Geography, and History, a student could also declare in Agriculture and Home Economics,\u201d Hunter wrote in a brief history of the school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, SJCC served less than 100 students (and required a dress code) but it was already forward thinking and well connected to the marketplace. This awareness has enabled rapid progress over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“In addition to the expected English, Science, Mathematic, Geography, and History, a student could also declare in Agriculture and Home Economics.”<\/p>Charles Hunter, Former Faculty & SJCC Historian<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Career Education Mindfully Evolves with Bay Area Industries<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Hunter\u2019s history, a decade later enrollment hit a remarkable peak of 850 students. This spike in students also marked a boom in the industrial arts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to a focus on agriculture, the school identified and answered the demand for many new trades. Certificate and apprenticeship programs were developed for construction and automotive technology. And while commercial aviation, communications and radio technology were all growing slowly, the college developed programs for all of them, establishing itself as a trailblazer in career ed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, there was a building boom on campus between 1954 and 1964. New buildings provided a home for the growing employment-focused programs that would become renowned throughout the bay area and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SJCC’s Dental Assisting Program was ranked 1st in the nation in 2018.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Award Winning Career Education<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Over the years SJCC has developed a wide variety of career education programs from computer chip manufacturing to esthetics. While some programs are now defunct due to jobs moving overseas, the most common trajectory is quite the opposite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks in large part to dedicated faculty and staff as well as a growing Business & Workforce Division, SJCC\u2019s programs are often recognized for their excellence. In 2018 HVAC ranked 5th<\/sup>, Cosmetology ranked 3rd<\/sup>, and Dental Assisting ranked 1st<\/sup> in the nation. Receiving this distinction is an honor but what matters most to SJCC is whether or not students reach their goals after graduation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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