College Fulfills Legislative Mandate to Co-Develop Program with Fellow CA Community College
SACRAMENTO, Calif., September 18, 2023 – Today, Calbright College announced the public launch of its new Data Analysis program, which is now accepting students. This program, designed in partnership with fellow California Community College Bakersfield College (BC), will also serve as a pre-apprenticeship training pipeline for the newly established data analyst apprenticeship program facilitated by BC.
“Following a successful pilot program that concluded this spring, Calbright is proud to officially launch our Data Analysis program to prepare adult learners for the over 10,000 job openings in California requiring data analysis skills,” said Dr. Shannon McCarty, vice president of learning and instruction at Calbright College. “We designed and validated this program with our partners at Bakersfield College, and are excited for students to upskill and reskill to gain the critical tools to hit the ground running in this growing field.”
Calbright’s Data Analysis program will introduce learners to the in-demand skills needed for the industry, which is expected to grow by 15.4% in California over the next decade according to data from Lightcast. Students will learn how to organize data through Structured Query Language databases and understand how to use data to effectively provide meaningful content and context for their colleagues, among other durable skills for the data analysis industry.
Students who seek to build a strong foundation in this topic may enroll at Calbright and, upon completion, matriculate to Bakersfield College’s new program. The year-long, paid apprenticeship aims to train at least 25 apprentices by 2025 and will provide tangible economic outcomes for students. The apprenticeship will offer online instruction and relevant data analysis job training directly with employers across California specializing in industries like technology, agriculture, and hospitality.
“We need an all-hands-on-deck approach to upskilling adult learners to create a strong pipeline for the California workforce. Calbright’s Data Analysis program is focused on preparing students with marketable skills needed for jobs not only in the data industry, but in marketing, Customer Relationship Management administration, and business management,” said Michael Younger, vice president of workforce, strategy, and innovation at Calbright College. “When students complete the program, they are able to matriculate into Bakersfield College’s paid data analysis apprenticeship program, further advancing their training. Collaborating with our California Community College sister colleges and districts will drive a strong and vibrant California economy while also supporting workers with a living wage and attractive skills to future employers.”
“This trailblazing collaboration with Calbright not only provides a transformative pathway, but also a pipeline for students to persist into for-credit and paid opportunities with industry leading organizations,” said Bakersfield College Dean of Instruction Anthony Cordova. “This learn-to-earn model serves as inspiration for other programmatic partnerships that can be scaled throughout the state and will benefit students in first, hands-on learning opportunities and second, exploring baccalaureate offerings throughout the California Community Colleges system as well.”
This partnership with Bakersfield College, in addition to creating more opportunities for adult learners across the state, also satisfies a key requirement outlined in Calbright’s founding legislation that calls for one of every ten new programs to be developed with a traditional community college. Since its inception in 2019, Calbright College has designed, validated, and received Board of Trustees approval for 17 programs—exceeding the legislative mandate—and intends to launch its Project Management and Networks+ programs in late 2023. To learn more about the program and enroll at Calbright, please visit: https://www.calbright.edu/programs/data-analysis.
